Platinum Party

Planning a community celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee? From choosing activities to getting everyone involved, Hanna Prince looks at how to prepare

At the beginning of June, communities around the country will gather to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. No other British monarch has ever reigned for 70 years, so it’s the perfect excuse for a nationwide knees-up. In Sussex, events will span the Bank Holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June. From street parties to public festivals and from sitdown teas to pot luck buffets, the festivities will come in all shapes and sizes.

Planning your own community get-together can be fun and rewarding for everyone involved. It can also be hard work! We’ve pulled together some of the options for hosting a Jubilee gathering, and what to bear in mind.

DANCING IN THE STREET Britain will be hosting hundreds of street parties as part of the Queen’s Jubilee – it’s one of the most fun and straightforward ways to celebrate. Street parties aren’t as complicated to organise as you might imagine. As long as your event is aimed at residents and neighbours only and there won’t be alcohol on sale, you shouldn’t require a

licence (although you might need to fill in an application form on your local council website). There’s a little more admin involved for road closures. You’ll need to apply for a temporary traffic regulation order – ideally at least six weeks in advance, although some councils are flexible – and organise signage to inform the location to residents and visitors. An alternative is to seek out the nearest green space. It could be a local park, green, open community space or even a residential garden. You can get help, tips and other guidance from the Government’s official Platinum Jubilee website (www.platinumjubilee.gov.uk). MUCKING IN One of the best things about hosting a Jubilee event is that it offers plenty of opportunities for community involvement. You could consider seeking out volunteers right from the start by consulting neighbours, leafleting, putting signs up in local shops or advertising in village newspapers. Think about how to take advantage of everyone’s talents. Do you have community members with catering experience, musical abilities, artistic leanings or flower-arranging skills? Could you link up with local schools or youth groups to get children involved with making decorations, making cakes or helping to run stalls. Don’t forget older and more vulnerable members of the community – what provision will be made for them, and how can they get involved with making the day special? The best events cater for all ages and capabilities. GLORIOUS FOOD Food and drink are at the heart of all good celebrations. That needn’t mean putting on a threecourse meal for everyone in your community – you could ask everyone to make

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a sharing dish, combine the event with a charity cake sale or simply ask people to bring their own packed lunch. Think about how much effort your community would like to put into the cuisine. Perhaps you could run a bring-your-own barbecue or ask neighbours to chip in to fund barbecue fare to minimise the work and the table provision required. A buffet with sharing plates is another classic option, although you might need to think about hiring or borrowing trestle tables and chairs. Other alternatives include afternoon tea with community-made cakes, or a seasonal theme sourcing produce from local growers and allotments.

If that all sounds like too much effort, there’s nothing wrong with skipping the full-on meal completely and just providing a range of snacks and drinks. Remember, though, you’ll have to offer alcohol free or ask neighbours to bring a

SUNDAY 8TH MAY LADIES’ DAY

AT PLUMPTON RACECOURSE

Best dressed competitions for Ladies, Gents and Children

Brilliant prizes Live Music

Family entertainment Short walk from Plumpton Station

Tickets available from £15

Gates Open 12pm

First Race 2:15pm Last Race 5:30pm

Tel. 01273 890383 | racing@plumptonracecourse.co.uk | www.plumptonracecourse.co.uk Race times are all subject to change, please ensure you check before travelling

bottle if you want to avoid applying for a temporary events notice. Why not join in with the Eden Project devised ‘Big Jubilee Lunch’? There’s more information and the opportunity to download an advice-filled starter pack on their website (www. edenprojectcommunities. com/the-big-jubilee-lunch).

DECK THE HALLS Nothing sets the festive scene like street decorations. Bunting is a staple at traditional street parties – it’s cheap to hire, easy to make and offers a fantastic opportunity for some community crafting. Once the bunting is in place it’s time to get creative. Ideas include flags hung from porches, bouquets and ribbons tied to the backs of chairs. Enlist local kids to make paper flowers and crowns or Union Jack bowler hats for guests, and don’t forget some fancy tablecloths. Nervous about downpours? It might be worth hiring a few gazebos, keeping a stock of umbrellas on standby, or having a backup bolthole such as the local pub. You don’t want the weather to rain off your parade.

FUN AND GAMES There’s no limit to the activities you can plan for your Jubilee event. Why not kick off the celebrations by participating in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons tribute on June 2nd? More

than 2,000 beacons will be lit around the world at 9.45pm, preceded by bugle calls, piping and proclamations by town criers. Beacons can be anything from bonfires to strawmen, making it easy to take part – you can download an online guide from www. queensjubileebeacons.com

Another fun nationwide activity to participate in is the Queen’s Green Canopy (www.queensgreencanopy. org). Initiated by the Queen and the Prince of Wales, who planted the first Jubilee tree in the grounds of Windsor Castle earlier this spring, it will unite thousands of individuals, groups and communities across the UK. The idea is to plant thousands of trees before the end of 2022 to create a legacy that will benefit future generations. Tree planting season begins again in October, but you can earmark a suitable space now.

Don’t forget about fun, games and music. Plan a street quiz or a lottery, book a local band, run a raffle or arrange a fun biscuit making competition. You might also want to think about setting up some traditional kids’ games – you’ll find more ideas in our Platinum Race Day article on page 21.

AND FINALLY… Community celebrations are fantastic fun for everybody, but it’s worth considering the environment. Is it possible for everyone to bring along their own plates, cutlery and cups rather than using single-use versions? Can you source food and drink locally? Are you prepared to take on a ‘zero waste challenge’ by making sure any packaging or leftovers are recycled instead of binned? Finally, consider incorporating eco-friendly activities such as swap shops into the festivities. It’s the perfect way to enjoy some clean, green community fun. l

AN ACTION PACKED 2022 SEASON AT COWDRAY PARK, BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD…

Cowdray Park Polo Club is delighted to welcome visitors to it’s beautiful Club from 23rd April through to Sunday 18th September. Enjoy a relaxed day at the polo with family, friends and a picnic at one of our 500 matches played during the season, or come along to one of our key events, all held to celebrate the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup in June and July.

THE MIDHURST TOWN CUP SUNDAY 26th JUNE

A fun family polo day held on the opening Sunday of the Cowdray Gold Cup tournament, featuring high-goal polo and a range of entertainment off the pitch including demonstrations, mini funfair, shopping village, street food, public bar and more. Entry Tickets: £10 / U12s free

COWDRAY GOLD CUP SEMI FINALS WEDNESDAY 13th JULY

With two thrilling Gold Cup matches played to decide the teams competing in the Final a few days later, this is a day loved by true polo aficionados. Offering VIP hospitality and pitch-side entertaining, as well as luxury shopping, pop-up bars and artisan food. Entry Tickets: £25 / U12s free

NO.3 GIN & JAZZ EVENING FRIDAY 15th JULY

The inaugural No.3 Gin & Jazz event will be a stylish evening combining the best live jazz acts with exclusively curated No.3 Gin cocktails and delectable food by The Naked Food Company. Held in the picturesque setting of the Lawns polo grounds overlooking the iconic Cowdray Ruins. Unwind after a long week and dance into the sunset. Tickets: £30 / U12s free

IBIZA NIGHT SATURDAY 16th JULY

Our ‘Old Skool’ music night is held on the eve of the Gold Cup Final. Partygoers are invited to “paint the town yellow” as they are transported back several decades. Let your hair down and put your dancing shoes on as 90’s and 00’s classics play out across Lawns only on vinyl. Tickets: £15 / U12s free

COWDRAY GOLD CUP FINAL & AFTER PARTY SUNDAY 17th JULY

Our flagship event, attracting up to 10,000 spectators to enjoy luxury shopping, bars, artisan food, live music, pitch-side hospitality and picnics, and the most prestigious polo match in Europe featuring the world’s best players competing for the coveted Gold Cup trophy and the British Open title. Celebrations commence post-match as the DJ ramps up for the After Party. Entry Tickets: £28 / U12s free

Festival of the Garden 14–17 July

Carefree holidays by luxury coach

Woods Travel in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, have been serving the South with award-winning passenger transportation to destinations all over the UK and Continent for over 51 years. This family run business has its own fleet of 13 modern coaches and offers a programme of coach holidays to over 170 destinations.

From humble beginnings in 1971, the company has grown considerably and is now known for complete travel solutions including a travel agency as well as their coach holidays with the pioneering door-todoor service. This allows customers to be collected by taxi from their home where they are taken to the coach pick-up point closest to them, and then delivered directly back home upon their return.

The last two years has certainly been challenging for the coach industry, and the directors at Woods are pleased to once again be fully open for business. Tina Shaw-Morton, Joint Managing Director, explained: “We have always had a robust business model in place which has helped us navigate through these trying times. We are delighted to get back to what we do best, and customers can be assured we will continue to keep certain processes in place to maintain cleanliness on our vehicles.”

They are now looking to the future as the country emerges from the pandemic and the confinement of the lockdowns. Tina added: “People are eager to get away and enjoy a break and we can help with the amazing trips we have available throughout this year and into the next. There is a boom in staycations, and we hope very soon to once again be full steam ahead with our continental offerings.”

Since all restrictions have been lifted, and with the weather improving, they have certainly seen an increase in bookings over the past two months.

Their 2022 Coach

Holidays brochure was launched last October and offers some spectacular locations throughout the UK and

Europe. This combined with the recent launch of their October 2022 – April 2023 brochure, which includes 30 festive breaks from Christmas Markets in Bruges and Valkenburg to Christmas Holidays in destinations such as the banks of the Rhine or the Swiss Alps to South Wales and the Isle of Wight, offers a wide selection of holidays for everyone.

Here is a comment from one of their customers after a recent holiday to the Lake District:

“What more can we say about the Lake District holiday that we haven’t before?! A HUGE thank you to all of you at Woods for making our holidays happen. I know how much work is involved to make these holidays work for everyone and everything goes like clockwork. It was a delight to go back to such a special hotel in such a stunning area. All the staff were so very welcoming, helpful and nothing was too much trouble for them.

It was a full coach with so many ‘first timers’, and I’m sure the new people will book on other holidays because of the quality of the holiday but more importantly how the driver went the extra mile for us – nothing was too much trouble. As this was such a lovely relaxing holiday, we have made an advanced booking for next year.”

If you have travelled with Woods before, they look forward to welcoming you back on board and if you are a new customer and would like to find out more please call them on 01243 868080 or visit www.woodstravel.co.uk for further information