Search for community beacon lighter begins

February 22, 2016 by Southend Borough Council

Search for community beacon lighter begins

Friday 19th February 2016

Are you holding an event to commemorate the Queen’s 90th birthday this April? Would you and your community like to represent the Borough and light the official Southend-on-Sea beacon?

If so, then Southend-on-Sea Borough Council wants to hear from you as it launches a local ‘Light the Beacon’ campaign to find a local group, street or club up to the task of lighting the official Borough beacon on Thursday 21st April in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday.

If you are holding a street party, running a community event or have any other great plans that would be worthy of lighting the ‘Borough beacon’, please visit: www.southend.gov.uk/lightthebeacon and fill in the quick and easy online form by Friday 25th March. All submissions will be considered by a team of judges, with the winners announced in the local media and on the council website and social media just after.

The beacon lighting will need to take place in the evening, with official lighting times to be announced by The Queen’s Pageantmaster in due course.

Cllr Ron Woodley, leader of the council, says:

“Beacon lightings will be taking place on top of mountains, churches and castle battlements, on town and village greens, farms, country parks and beaches up and down the country on that day and I expect Southend-on-Sea will be no different.

“The last major beacon celebration was on Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on 4th June 2012, when beacons were lit at Leigh Library Gardens and Jubilee Beach.

“I hope that lots of local people and groups will be interested in lighting the official Borough beacon, and play a part in uniting the nation in common celebration of this important milestone in The Queen’s life.”

The Beacon Project, by agreement with The Royal Household, will form an important part of The Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations, and Her Majesty The Queen has graciously agreed to light the Principle Beacon on 21st April 2016.

An official guide with more information, including how to register an event as part of the national Beacon Lighting Ceremony, is on the Pageant Master's web page

If you are planning to hold a street party, local guidance can be found here!