Grantham Dysart Park Jubilee beacon lighting details confirmed

The details have been confirmed for the lighting of the Jubilee Beacon in Dysart Park.

The free event in Grantham will take place on the evening of Thursday, June 2, and will be one of over 2,022 beacons lit by charities, communities and faith groups across the UK.

This will form part of the official programme announced by Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee Weekend.

Dysart Park is also home to a group of trees in The Queen’s Green Canopy which is a tree planting initiative to mark the Platinum Jubilee, to create a network of individual trees, avenues, copses and woodlands in honour of The Queen's service and the legacy she has built.

Bruno Peek, who is Pageantmaster of The Queen’s Jubilee Platinum Beacons programme across the UK and Commonwealth on the evening of Thursday, June 2, said : “The Queen has lit up our lives for 70 years through her dedicated service and commitment.

“We would like to light up the nation and the Commonwealth in her honour.

"So, building on a long tradition of lighting beacons to mark significant royal celebrations, thousands of beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth.

“They will enable local communities to join together to pay tribute to Her Majesty as part of the official programme of events.

“For the first time, town criers, pipers, buglers and choirs from the UK and the Commonwealth will come together to join in the celebrations in their own individual and special way.

"It is wonderful to see the range of support for beacon lighting, which will highlight both the diversity and unity of the nation and the Commonwealth.”

Councillor Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, SKDC cabinet member for culture and visitor economy, said: “It is only appropriate that this unique milestone in history is marked with beacons and music to share with local communities and link up right across the UK and Commonwealth.

“We are proud to be part of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons and Associated Activities on June 2 and honoured to be part of this special event for Her Majesty The Queen’s 70th year as our Monarch and Head of the Commonwealth on her Platinum Jubilee.”

Beacons will be lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals and the Principal Beacon lighting will take place in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on the Thursday evening. This will take the form of a lighting installation with The Queen’s Green Canopy ’Tree of Trees’ sculpture and projections onto the front of Buckingham Palace.

This new way of taking part in the beacon lighting is designed to reflect the Royal Family’s long history championing environmental causes.

The Dysart Park Evening programme is as follows:

• 5pm-6.30pm - Background music.
• 6.30pm-7.15pm - Unveiling of new Jubilee railings on the bandstand and new Jubilee bench.
• 7.15pm-8pm - The Jammy Codgers – The Jam Tribute Band – in the bandstand.
• 8.30pm-9.15pm - Cranwell Military Wives Choir in the bandstand.
• 9.20pm-9.35pm - A short service of thanks for Her Majesty with hymns and prayers – led by Reverend David Shenton from St Anne’s Church – in the bandstand.
• 9.35pm - Recording of piper playing ‘Diu Regnare’, simultaneously across the UK and Commonwealth.
• 9.40pm - Bugler from the King’s School playing ‘Majesty’ to announce lighting of the beacon.
• 9.45pm - Beacon lit by Major Guy Page, second in command at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks. Cranwell Military Wives Choir will accompany this with a song specially written for the occasion, joining community choirs across all nations.

The event is free to attend and no booking is required.