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A wave of patriotism is expected to spread across Medway this week as The Queen celebrates her 90th birthday.
The leader of Medway Council has sent his good wishes to Her Majesty as she prepares to celebrate the landmark.
The council will be lighting six beacons across the Towns to mark the occasion and Cllr Alan Jarrett said: “I wish the Queen a very happy 90th birthday for Thursday, when the council will be proudly playing a role in the nationwide celebration by lighting six beacons across Medway.
“The Queen remains an example to us all, and I have nothing but admiration for what she does on behalf of Great Britain and the Commonwealth.”
There is a long tradition of celebrating royal jubilees, weddings and coronations by lighting beacons across the country. The last such celebration marked the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012.
The council is inviting residents to enter a competition to light Medway’s main beacon at the Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham along with deputy mayor, Cllr Steve Iles.
To enter, write a tweet explaining why you should be chosen using the hashtag
#MedwayBeacons.
The winner will be contacted by the council’s official account,
@Medway_Council, tomorrow (Tuesday). Entrants must be aged 12 or over, live in Medway and be willing to have their photo taken.
Cllr Iles said: “It’s a special occasion set to be celebrated nationwide and I am pleased I’ll be lighting a beacon alongside the winner of the competition, as well as hundreds more people up and down the country. Good luck to all who enter the Medway beacon lighting competition.”
Other beacons will be lit at 8.30pm in:
Another birthday beacon not organised by the councilwill be lit on the green on Pond Hill, Cliffe, at 8.30pm. It will be followed by a nine-minute firework display – one minute for each decade of the Queen’s life. There will be hot food and refreshments available from 7.45pm.
Cliffe is also organising a fair with a royal birthday theme on Saturday, June 11, at St Helen’s Church and Buttway. There will be live music, a dance display, a barbecue and craft stalls.
The Elim Church in Star Hill, Rochester, will serve birthday tea and cakes from today until Friday, 10am to 3pm, and a family fun day will mark the occasion at the same times on Saturday.
Gillingham Horticultural Society’s floral art group celebrates the occasion with a Happy Birthday Ma’am workshop to make a crown today in the United Reformed Church, Balmoral Road, from 7.30pm.
Prayers will be said for Her Majesty during normal services at Rochester Cathedral on Thursday, but a special service will be held on June 12 at 3.15pm, which coincides with the Mayor of Medway’s dedication service.
At 84, High Street, Rochester (Rochester Handbags) there will be a window display of photographs of The Queen, organised by Rochester Pickwick Club.
Members of the club will assemble at 10.30am outside the shop to sing the toast “Here’s a Health Unto Her Majesty” and throughout the day they will distribute 300 souvenir pin badges and 200 waving flags.
