This weekend, people across our local area and the nation will come together to celebrate and admire the historic spectacle that is a coronation.
This is an occasion rich in pomp and circumstance, and with His Majesty being the 40th monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey since 1066, the service will feature customs dating back over one thousand years.
For the first time, His Majesty The King, alongside Her Majesty The Queen Consort, will receive St Edward’s Crown from the Archbishop of Canterbury, where he will wear it for the only time in his life. In this moment, coming after his formal recognition as King by the congregation, the oath, and his anointing, His Majesty will be seen for the first time wearing a crown in front of his people and the world.
While this will be a day of great formality, it is also a time for us to celebrate our King and what makes our country so admired around the world. Alongside national events held in-and-around London, I know that there are a multitude of local celebrations planned across our area, in Grantham, Stamford, Bourne, and our villages.
For many in Grantham, St Wulfram’s Church will be the centerpoint of celebration closer to home. As well as inviting people to come together to view the Coronation on the church’s big screens, St Wulfram’s is also hosting other events over the weekend. As part of a nationwide initiative, the church is hosting a ‘Coronation Big Lunch’, and a parade on Sunday involving trustees, members of the clergy and the choir, and cadets, scouts, and guides before a service of thanksgiving at 11:00.
Meanwhile, Monday will see the central celebration in Stamford take place on the Recreation Ground from midday, with family entertainment and refreshments alongside an opportunity to meet and volunteer with local community groups as part of a national ‘Big Help Out’.
As well as this, I know that the Civic Society in Stamford is encouraging shop owners to compete by decorating their shop-fronts. All local primary school pupils have been invited to look out for shops taking part and spot unusual and standout items on display for a chance to win a prize.
In Bourne, everyone is invited to become a local champion as people flock to North Street, with their picnic tables in hand, to attempt to create the longest picnic table in South Lincolnshire, joining other street parties on Sunday. As for Her Late Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee last year, a beacon will also be lit on Coronation Day at Bourne Wellhead - a fitting centre piece for all the celebrations in our area.
Whatever your plans for this weekend, I hope that you take the time to join friends and family to celebrate our great country, and join with me in raising a glass to His Majesty The King.
