Location of Queen's Platinum Jubilee beacons in Suffolk revealed
A beacon was lit at the council headquarters in Ipswich to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 - Credit: Su Anderson
The preparations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee are underway - and four Suffolk towns have been chosen to light beacons in her honour.
A four-day bank holiday weekend will celebrate the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022 and will be opened with the traditional beacons used for royal jubilees, weddings and coronations.
There will be 1,500 lit across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and overseas UK territories — and one in each capital city in Commonwealth countries.
Four Suffolk locations have been chosen to host beacons - St Mary's Church in Haverhill, Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket Recreation Ground and Framlingham Castle.
The celebrations will begin at 1pm on June 2, with town criers undertaking the proclamation.
They will also announce the beacon lighting, which will commence at 9.09pm as the sun sets.
The town criers for Suffolk are Brenda Wilson for Newmarket and Martin Payne for Bungay.
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No other monarch has achieved such a long reign and the beacons are to enable local communities, individuals and organisations to pay tribute to her for her "long and selfless service".
Other events planned across the bank holiday include the Queen attending the Epsom Derby on June 4 and a special Platinum Party broadcast from Buckingham Palace that evening.
There will also be a birthday parade and thanksgiving service, while on Sunday, June 5, people will be invited to take part in the Big Jubilee Lunch, by staging street parties.
There are three types of beacons being lit on the historic occasion:
- A free-standing beacon fuelled by bottle gas
- A beacon brazier with a metal shield
- A bonfire beacon
Copies of the guide to organising a beacon lighting can be obtained by e-mailing brunopeek@mac.com