Beacon to ignite Littlehampton’s jubilee fever

The focus will be on the extended bank holiday weekend of June 2-5, although the jubilee concert will take place later in the summer, allowing community groups the opportunity to hold their special events while the nation is in full festive flow.

Littlehampton Town Council is encouraging residents and organisations to join in the diamond jubilee celebrations and is offering help to organisers.

“We have already been approached by a couple of groups who have plans to host events during that weekend – one is planning a two-day event at Mewsbrook Park on the Monday and Tuesday and the other a Jubilee Picnic Party for schoolchildren,” said a town council spokeswoman.

The council is willing to support event organisers by loaning equipment such as crowd control barriers, cones and chairs.

“We have already taken bookings for some of the resources but there’s still plenty left to help other events,” added the spokeswoman.

Anyone thinking of organising a street party and needing planning advice and support should visit www.streetparty.org.uk or Arun District Council’s website www.arun.gov.uk/events to find out how to apply for a street party.

Littlehampton will also be joining in the chain of thousands of beacons to be lit not only in this country but across the Commonwealth on June 4, to mark the Queen‘s 60 years on the throne. At 10pm, the town mayor will light the seafront beacon at the same time as the others here and overseas.

Scouts and Guides are working with the town council to stage an afternoon of activities earlier that day which will culminate in a torch-lit procession headed by one of the Scout bands. More details of this, and the jubilee concert, will be announced later.

Councillor Joyce Bowyer, chairman of the town council’s community resources committee, said: “We have a fantastic tradition in Britain of celebrating these national occasions and we would like to see a high sense of community spirit in Littlehampton during the diamond jubilee.”

For more information about borrowing event equipment or for guidance on hosting an event, contact the town council on 01903 732063.