East Grinstead Town Council

16 February 2012

East Grinstead Town Council is taking a leading role in preparations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations to be held from 2nd – 5th June 2012. Town Councillors and representatives from town organisations are planning an exciting programme of events.

One of the highlights of this weekend will be a parade through East Grinstead on Sunday 3rd June in the afternoon. The route has to be finalised but is expected to pass along Moat Road, London Road and High Street, before finishing at East Court where other celebrations will be taking place including a vintage funfair, food, and music.

The parade will last approximately 1 hour. Participants will probably be asked to assemble at 12.30pm for a 1.30pm start. The parade will include vintage vehicles, schools, charities, bands, sports’ teams and organisations, youth groups and businesses. The town wants to capture some of the excitement of past events which brought everyone out to celebrate. The parade will consist of floats and walking groups. Alternatively, you can dance, cycle, push pushchairs, wheelchairs (or beds!). We want to showcase everything that is best about East Grinstead in this parade.

We now need to plan the details of this event and therefore need to know who wishes to take part in the parade. Please complete the tear-off slip in this letter and return it to Cllr. Dick Sweatman at East Grinstead Town Council. Alternatively you can email the information below to d.sweatman@eastgrinstead.gov.uk. Please reply by Friday 24th February.

24 January 2012

10 January 2012

As part of the celebrations marking the Queen’s Jubilee this summer, East Grinstead Town Council is launching a Short Story/Poetry competition.

Hollywood screen writer Neil Gaiman (Coraline/Stardust), who grew up in East Grinstead, has generously supported us with a prize for the winner of the teen short story, and the Soroptimists are sponsoring the under-eights poetry prize.

Read more here

15 December 2011

Following out appeal for photos and memories of past royal occasions a resident of Forest View has donated a copy of his home movie showing the street party celebrating the wedding of Charles & Diana in 1981. Fancy dress, three legged race and a kid’s tricycle race and those clothes! Hopefully we’ll be able to upload this onto the net and give you a link to see for yourself – so keep on looking for more news, and if you have memories, films or photos of past royal celebrations then do get in touch.

28 October 2011

East Grinstead Diamond Jubilee Celebrations June 2012

Events to be held at the Jubilee Centre

Choir Festival: during week preceding the Jubilee weekend 2/3 June is being organised by Simon Elliott of the New Life Church - the day to be arranged.

Jubilee Dance: with dancing to live music with drinks and food bars. Ticket price to be around £12 with food and drinks available for sale throughout the evening.

Sunday June 3^rd St Swithuns Church

Interdenominational Church Service – the Reverent Clive Everett Allen.

East Court events :  Sunday 3^rd and Monday 4^th June 2012

The parade will arrive at East Court around 2.30 pm – this will include vintage vehicles which will then park up and be on display to the public – probably until around 4pm There will be a vintage funfair.  Food and beverage will be available. Meridian FM / music on the terrace

Evening events

8pm Teenage music festival in the Meridian Hall

Local bands will have a 30 min set each (3 bands) with burgers / hotdogs and soft drinks available to purchase from the courtyard in the front of East Court. No alcohol permitted. End at 10.30 pm Tickets at £5 including one soft drink

Monday

Possibly music in the afternoon and again Tea on the terrace

To be confirmed

Torch parade from high street to light the beacon – (time not confirmed yet by National Beacon lighting events to light between 10 and 10.30pm) Fireworks will follow to music -

Flower Show at St Swithuns

Dates – 1st June – Staging/Preparation

2nd, 3rd 4th June – Exhibition with perhaps morning of 2nd to be a

pre-exhibition open to special guests.

More details to follow

Library based Jubilee Events

Wednesday June 6th   11.00 – 14.00   Teddy Bears Picnic and Bear Hunt   East Court terrace   (Joint Library and Children and Family centre event

Friday June 8th  19.00  at the Library  Red Herring  Jubilee  Royal Quiz  -  Fish and Chip supper teams etc

Thursday June 7th  7.00pm   Talk by County Local Studies Principal Librarian –  Martin Hayes Jubilee Celebrations in East Grinstead and West Sussex.  A look at some of the historical celebrations of Royal Jubilees locally and in the County
if you know of anyone who has some local film of previous Jubilee celebrations locally, Martin can be contacted on martin.hayes@westsussex.gov.uk

Choral Society performance in St Swithun’s Church

Tuesday, 29th May 2012 and to possibly include the schools

Details to follow

20 October 2011

From black and white to glorious colour, the first photographs contributed by local people are now in the process of being scanned and catalogued. We thought that you might like a sneak preview at the first two that were donated by a local resident who lived at Halsford Green. They show some of the celebrations for the Queen’s coronation in 1953 and the Silver Jubilee in 1977. Recognise any of the faces? Perhaps you were there on the day,please let us know and we can add any details that you would like to share with us.

If you have photos or other memorabilia then we would love to hear from you, or you can call in to the tourist desk in the town Library during the week. We are looking to copy any photos or documents, with your permission, so that you retain the originals. Our phone number is 01342 410121 or by email tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk

15 September 2011

As plans progress for next year’s Diamond Jubilee here’s one we made earlier – in fact it is the cover of the programme for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 – priced at a very modest 25p! For next year’s Jubilee we are looking for your memories, photographs and memorabilia from previous celebrations of the Queen’s reign. So have you got photos from years gone by when other Jubilees were held? Or perhaps cuttings from local papers and magazines showing what was reported, maybe school photos with you and your class receiving a specially minted Silver Jubilee crown piece as happened back in 1977.

Even better maybe you or your parents have recollections of the Coronation when many townsfolk flocked to the capital and street parties took place here in East Grinstead. We would love to be able share your memories and present them as part of an exhibition that would take place over the Jubilee celebrations. We won’t be looking to hold on to your precious photos or documents as we would like to copy them for display purposes so you get to hold on to the originals. Any objects – Coronation mugs and medals we would like to photograph and if you have some stories to tell – then we will record your words to use for some written history.

The town’s Tourist Information desk at the town’s library in West Street is the place to go and Information Officer Simon Kerr and his colleague Dawn Spalding look forward to welcoming you to share your memories. For more information you can call 01342 410121 or email tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk  We look forward to hearing from you!

7 September 2011

Some photos from previous Jubilee Celebrations in East Grinstead. Were you there?

If you have memories of previous Jubilees or perhaps of the Queen’s Coronation, then we would love to hear from you.

If you would allow us to copy photographs or other memorabilia it will help us assemble an exhibition that will form part of the 2012 celebrations.

Please bring us what you would like to share to the Tourist Desk at the town’s Library in West Street, or by email tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk.