'A very special weekend' - Bungay set for 'happy and glorious' Jubilee

Bungay has launched a range of events with a 'Happy and Glorious' exhibition at St Mary’s Church marking the town’s - and Her Majesty’s - last 70 years.

With much activity already under way in the town in the lead up to the Jubilee bank holiday weekend, bunting and costumes for the Kings and Queens parade have been made with the children involved.

Crowns have been decorated, while Bungay’s shopkeepers have been dressing their windows in red, white and blue.

Bungay in Bloom has brought forward its summer planting to ensure all of the hanging baskets, tubs and planters look their best, while the Town Trust has sponsored a souvenir mug with the town’s Better in Bungay logo on the back, for every primary school child in Bungay.

Of the Jubilee memorabilia, Bungay Town Reeve, Olly Barnes, said: "The Town Trust is delighted that it is able to give commemorative mugs to all Bungay's primary school children, from all our three schools, Bungay Primary, St Edmunds and our newest school, Castle East.

"A Platinum Jubilee is certainly something to celebrate, and we hope that with this commemorative gift, we will make this remarkable achievement just that little more memorable."

Festival of Suffolk Torch Relay

The Festival of Suffolk Torch Relay is set to reach Bungay at 4pm on Thursday, May 26, at the junction of St Margaret’s Road and Flixton Road.

Carrying the torch for Bungay will be Martha Coleman and Lucy Walker, who are both very active in the Bungay community.

Through her work for Bungay Community Support, Martha has launched schemes such as Warm Rooms, Walk and Talk and the Baby Bank.

She is also a Guide leader and youth worker with the Bungay Youth Club.

Lucy is a key organiser of the Bungay Christmas Lights as well as being the Bungay Events & Business Association deputy chair and part of the Town Council’s Tourism and Heritage Group.

The pair will ride the rickshaw through the town before handing the torch over at the junction of Trinity Street and Staithe Road.

Martha Coleman said: "I still cannot believe I was nominated to take part in the torch relay.

"It's a real honour.

"I have loved getting involved in the local community during the past three years living here and have met so many wonderful people."

Lucy Walker said: “I felt so honoured to be asked to take part in the relay.

"Bungay has such a strong community spirit it is a pleasure to work with everyone involved.”

Events aplenty

Next Thursday, June 2, at noon: The Platinum Jubilee Proclamation will be read by the Town Crier at the Butter Cross.

Immediately following will be the first of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight making a special detour to Bungay on each day of the celebrations - with Thursday’s flypast at 12.04pm featuring the Lancaster.

From 7pm at the Castle Bailey: Love & Duty – a celebration of the Queen’s reign with music, dance and drama from the Fisher Theatre.

Linda Bailey, from Bungay Community Support (BCS), said: "Love & Duty is a family-friendly outdoor procession and performance located around the scenic backdrop of the beautiful Bungay castle that celebrates the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

"Love & Duty ties in our Queen's reign, her character and love of duty towards her country.

"Join us as we travel through the decades, paying homage to our history with music, dance, theatre and of course Corgis.

"This original work, funded through the Arts Council Europe grant received by BCS, calls on local groups and organisations, including professional singers, to join together to make this a memorable opening ceremony”.

8.15pm: The Castle Choir performs.

8.45pm: Parade of Standards onto the Castle Bailey.

9pm: Piper to play Diu Regnare.

9.10pm: The Mayor and Town Reeve will light the iconic Beacon in front of the Castle as William Drew-Batty performs the Bungay Overture, written especially for Bungay.

William Drew Batty said: "It is my pleasure to be bringing the Castle Choir to perform as part of the Jubilee celebrations and I look forward to performing my Bungay Overture.

"I am delighted that this piece has been chosen to honour the Queen’s long reign.”

Friday June 3: With this day being "all about families" there will be free parking across Bungay for the day.

2.30pm: Local children, dressed as Kings and Queens, will parade from the Butter Cross to the Castle Bailey.

Each will be awarded a specially designed Jubilee medal to mark the occasion.

2.30pm–4.30pm: Jubilee picnic. Bring along your own picnic and blanket for an afternoon of fun filled entertainment, activities, food stalls and more.

During the afternoon there will be games, face painting, Jim's ice cream van, food stalls, a photo booth and Loddon Brass Band will be providing a programme of musical entertainment with other activities provided by local community groups including Girlguiding, Scouts and Bungay Community Support.

3.42pm: Flypast of a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Saturday, June 4 at 12.34pm: Flypast of a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

1pm to 5pm: Tea party at the Royal British Legion clubhouse in Priory Lane. Everyone is invited, with donations welcome.

6pm-10.30pm: Party at the Castle. The Jubilee Big Band will play swing music to get everyone in party mood, as the live broadcast of the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace will be shown on a giant TV screen in front of the Castle.

There will be food and drink stalls all evening on the Bailey – featuring a hog roast and barbecue, Bigod’s Kitchen, Oriental street food from the 3 Cooks Pop Up Bar and café just down the alley from the Bailey, Sunrise Crepes, Bull of the Woods beer, Norfolk Trading Company’s cider and apple juice, while Stonehouse Pizza will deliver orders made via their app to the Bailey.

Sunday, June 5 at 12.34pm: Flypast of a Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Steve Honeywood, who organised these special flypasts for Bungay, said: "I was delighted when the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight agreed to perform flypasts over Bungay for the Platinum Jubilee.

"One flypast is magnificent, but to have a flypast for each of the four days of our Platinum events in Bungay is absolutely superb - and a splendid addition to our Jubilee celebrations.

"I am also pleased that we can hold our Platinum events at the Bungay Castle Bailey, as it provides such a splendid setting in the centre of Bungay, with the Castle as a backdrop."

Background

The Jubilee events in Bungay have been organised over several months by a team of volunteers representing several organisations in the town, including The Town Council, The Town Trust, The Castle Trust, Bungay Community Support, Bungay Events & Business Association and the Museum Trust.

Bungay Community Support was awarded £5,238.50 from the Arts Council’s Let’s Create Jubilee Fund by Suffolk Community Foundation to help towards financing the activities, especially the live music and drama performances.

Funding was also received from the local district and county councillors, David Ritchie and Judy Cloke from their Supporting Communities funds, as well as from BEBA.

The Town Council, which led the project, also donated a sizeable sum.

Tony Dawes, town mayor, said: "I have been chairing Bungay Town Council's Jubilee Working Group since November 2021, working alongside representatives from many local organisations.

"We think that we have put together an imaginative programme of events for the weekend for all of Bungay’s residents.

"All events and flypasts are in the programme which is available in the library and businesses in the town.

"The pilots will be looking – so please wave when the planes fly over!"

Frances Betts, deputy mayor, said: "I have been very impressed how all the groups and organisations in the town have contributed and worked together to create what we hope will be a very special weekend."

Special souvenir

As Her Majesty celebrates her record-breaking reign we have delved into our archives to create a tribute to her life and 70 years of service.

Filled with photos and history, Our Queen's Platinum Reign is a magazine we hope readers will treasure for years to come.

This special souvenir is available for £9.99 online and in-store.

Order online by clicking this link.

Find shops stocking the magazine near you by heading over to seymour.co.uk/storefinder/. Select 'Our Queens Platinum Reign' from the drop-down menu along with your postcode and radius.