Abbey Gardens beacon begins Jubilee celebrations

20 May 2022

West Suffolk communities will be joining with others nationwide at 9.45pm on 2 June 2022 to light beacons to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Together with all the other West Suffolk organisations that are lighting beacons across the district one will be lit in the Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds, by West Suffolk Council and residents are invited to come and share the moment.

Across the nation and the Commonwealth town criers, pipers, buglers, and choirs will lift their voices, play and sing prior to the lighting of over 1,500 Platinum Jubilee beacons.

Cllr Mike Chester, Chair of West Suffolk Council said,
“This is marking a moment in history, as people in 72 nations come together in their own communities and in the wider Commonwealth, to celebrate an unprecedented life. The beacon in the Abbey Gardens is just one of many here in West Suffolk, as our communities make the moment their own, in their villages and town. All are welcome to celebrate this memorable occasion.”

• 9.15pm Abbey Gardens gates in Eastgate Street open, (opposite The Fox Inn).
• 9.30pm Stephen Jones, Pipe Major Glenmoriston Pipe Band, to perform Diu Regnare music written by Pipe Major Stuart Liddell.
• 9.40pm Bugler, Chris Beard from Royal Air Force Honington Voluntary Band, appearing by kind permission of Group Captain Piers Holland, Station Commander at RAF Honington, will perform 'Majesty' to fanfare the lighting of the beacon.
• 9.45pm Chair of West Suffolk Council, Cllr Mike Chester will lead the countdown to lighting the beacon.
• 9.45pm Beacon to be lit while The Voice Squad, directed by Birgitta Kenyon, will sing a song for the commonwealth:
  • A Life Lived with Grace composed by Lucy Keily, from Australia and Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu from Nigeria.
• The event ends at 10pm.

 

---