Superbloom

To mark the Platinum Jubilee year of Her Majesty The Queen, over 20 million seeds have been sown in the moat of the Tower of London developing over the course of the summer, to create a beautiful, new naturalistic landscape. Designed to attract pollinators, ‘Superbloom’ brings a wonderful natural beauty to this urban space and introduce a new biodiverse habitat for wildlife. It celebrates the value of nature for our wellbeing.

Open from June to September, it is an evolving display, moving from soft green hues in June to delicate whites, blues, pinks and oranges throughout the height of summer. You enter the moat via a fully accessible visitor entrance. Once in the moat, you can choose to climb the stairs and slide down into the moat on the four lane Superbloom slide! You spend around 30 minutes exploring a one way route along winding willow-lined paths set to a specially commissioned soundscape with sculptural elements along the way. 

See the Queen's Garden, a special tribute to Her Majesty The Queen this Platinum Jubilee year. Designed to be viewed from above, this picture garden is inspired by her 1953 coronation gown. In the centre, sits a glass crown, a reminder of the Tower of London’s ancient as home of the Crown Jewels.

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Guards of Metropolis - Perfect World.

Fit for a Queen: Symbols and Values of Sovereignty

The National Gallery has recently launched a new virtual exhibition to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Through a selection of 28 of the National Gallery’s paintings, the exhibition focuses on the values of queenship which were spoken about through signs and symbols in her coronation service and which are still of value today. Many of the paintings explore religion in relation to leadership and symbolism in new and innovative ways.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in British history. She has witnessed many changes of government and has advised no fewer than 14 successive Prime Ministers. This year, she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, commemorating 70 years of service.

To mark this unprecedented milestone, the National Gallery has brought together 28 paintings from their collection that shed light on the notion of queenship, including portraits of female rulers from different times and countries as well as images that relate to some of the attributes most frequently associated with female monarchs past and present.

The virtual gallery can be found here: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/virtual-tours/fit-for-a-queen and the exhibition itself is at: https://jubilee.moyosaspaces.com/.

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Songs for School - Our Queen.

Walk, street party and beacon lighting

Today I went for a Bank Holiday walk led by David De'ath into the hills around Runwell. We met at Runwell Park and a collection was made for the Brain Tumour Charity (The Sarah Kitchener Perrow Fund). In the afternoon my colleague Sue Wise and I enjoyed a Jubilee Street Party at Silvanna Court, a residential care home in Wickford.

Then, in the evening we were at the Lantern Parade and Beacon Lighting event organised by Wickford Town Council, Basildon Council and The Friends of Wickford Memorial Park in Wickford Memorial Park. Those involved were: David Monk – Deputy Lieutenant; Paul Brace – Director of Community and Environment, Basildon Council; Kelvin Blake – Deputy Leader, Basildon Council; Churches Together Wickford Choir led by Suzanne Ward (singing 'Rise Up and Serve'); Paul Morgan bugler from Thurrock Marching Brass (playing a bugle call entitled ‘Her Majesty’); Dick Camp piper (performing of Diu Regnare); Matty Turnball, the nominated person to light the Beacon; Derek Harrison, Chair of Wickford Town Council; and Kim Oakes, Chair of Friends of the Memorial Park.

I led the following prayer: 

Gracious God, we give you thanks for the reign of your servant Elizabeth our Queen, and for the example of loving and faithful service to God and to her people which she has shown among us. We pray God’s blessing on her that she may continue to fulfil the promises she made at her coronation with generosity and joy. May she ever be provided with all she may need for her ministry among us, strengthened to meet every demand which her office may make, and in all things nourished by your word and example. Help us to follow her example of dedication and to commit our lives to you and to one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless this beacon, and the more than 1,500 others being lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories. May they form a chain of lights that become a symbol of unity across towns, borders, countries and continents. Amen.

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Commonwealth Choir & Friends - Rise Up And Serve.

The Queen's Platinum Beacon Lighting - Wickford

The Queen's Platinum Beacon Lighting is the first community event of the four day Jubilee-weekend, taking place on Thursday 2 June at 9.45pm.

There will beacon lighting ceremonies across Basildon borough's five towns: 

• Gloucester Park, Basildon - 8:30pm to 10pm
• Sun Corner, Billericay - 8:45pm to 9:45pm
• The Paddocks, Pound Lane - 8:30pm to 10pm
• Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea - 8:30pm to 10pm
• Wickford Memorial Park, Wickford - 8:15pm to 10:30pm (including lantern parade)

Wickford Town Council and The Friends of Wickford Memorial Park are hosting Wickford Jubilee celebrations on Thursday 2 June. There will be a Lantern Parade at 8.30pm, followed by the Beacon Lighting Ceremony at 9.15pm to 10pm. This will take place at Wickford Memorial Park Aboretum. I will be leading a prayer as part of this event on behalf of the churches in Wickford.

Wickford Community Association are hosting a Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday 5 June. There will be free family entertainment, a vintage singer, afternoon tea and refreshments. This event will take place at Nevendon Centre, Nevendon Road, Wickford, SS12 0QG between 11.30am and 5pm.

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Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu and Lucy Kiely - A Life Lived with Grace.

'In Raiment of Needlework'

 

Wednesday 1st - Monday 6th June, 10:30am-3:00pm (Sunday 5th June, 12noon-3:00pm) - St Peter Mancroft, Norwich.

This Jubilee, St Peter Mancroft is hosting an exhibition featuring royal textiles and vestments. For textile and royal enthusiasts this is one not to be missed!

The church has been tranformed into a museum of woven curiosities, painstakingly put together by Head Verger Chris Sanham.

A souvenir guidebook is available for a donation of £5.

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Graham Kendrick - Rise Up And Serve.