Nuneaton, Bedworth and Bulkington prepare for Jubilee Beacon celebration

The beacons are three of thousands being lit in the UK and the Commonwealth on June 2, forming part of the official programme announced by Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee Weekend.

They will be lit at 9.45pm simultaneously, on Nuneaton Town Hall steps, All Saints Square in Bedworth and St James' Church, School Road, Bulkington and are part of over 2,022 lit by charities, communities and faith groups all over the UK.

In addition, beacons will be lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals and the principal beacon lighting will take place in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening.

This will take the form of a lighting installation with The Queen’s Green Canopy ’Tree of Trees’ sculpture and projections onto the front of Buckingham Palace.

On the day, proceedings get under way at 2pm, at Nuneaton, when award winning borough crier Paul Gough, who will be joined by borough Mayor Cllr Jeff Clarke, will read a proclamation heralding the lighting of the beacons later that day. The pair will then do likewise in Bedworth at 2.45pm and in Bulkington at 3.30pm.

At 9.35pm across the UK and Commonwealth, traditional and Northumbrian pipers and pipe bands will play Diu Regnare, a unique tune specially written for the occasion by Piper Major, Stuart Liddell.

And at 9.40pm buglers linked to local beacon lightings across the UK and the capital cities of the Commonwealth will officially announce the lighting of the beacons with a specially written bugle call, entitled Majesty.

Bruno Peek, Pageantmaster of The Queen’s Jubilee Platinum Beacons, said of Thursday’s events: “Building on a long tradition of lighting beacons to mark significant royal celebrations, thousands of beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

“They will enable local communities to join together to pay tribute to Her Majesty as part of the official programme of events.

“For the first time, town criers, pipers, buglers and choirs from the UK and the Commonwealth will come together to join in the celebrations in their own individual and special way,” he added.

“It is wonderful to see the range of support for beacon lighting, which will highlight both the diversity and unity of the nation and the Commonwealth.

“The Queen has lit up our lives for 70 years through her dedicated service and commitment and we would like to light up the nation and the Commonwealth in her honour.”

Council leader Cllr Kristofer Wilson said: “Her Majesty The Queen has given 70 long and glorious years’ service to our nation and the Commonwealth. It is only fitting that we honour her historic service. Nuneaton, Bedworth and Bulkington will join in with the commemorations taking part both home and abroad, and I would encourage residents to join in with this momentous occasion.”

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons and Associated Activities have been conceived and organised by Mr Peek and his dedicated team.