Corby community beacon lighting – all you need to know

Corby Town Council has announced plans to light a beacon for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on the evening of Thursday, June 2.

The beacon is one of thousands being lit in the UK and the Commonwealth, and forms part of the official programme announced by Buckingham Palace for the jubilee weekend.

The beacon will be lit at Coronation Park, and it will be one of more than 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. This innovative new way of taking part in the beacon lighting will reflect the Royal family’s long history championing environmental causes.

Corby Town Council mayor, Cllr Tafadzwa Chikoto, said: “We are proud to be part of this momentous celebration. It is only appropriate that this unique milestone in history is marked with beacons and music.

"We are honoured to be part of this special event for Her Majesty, The Queen’s 70th year as our monarch and head of the Commonwealth on her Platinum Jubilee.”

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee beacons and associated activities have been conceived and organised by pageant master Bruno Peek and his dedicated team.

He said: “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. 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.”

Timeline for Corby’s beacon lighting:

At 2pm Corby’s town crier, Cllr Anthony Dady. will announce from several locations in the centre of Corby, a specially written proclamation heralding the lighting of the beacons later that day at Coronation Park.

At 9pm Cllr Chikoto will open the event at Coronation Park and introduce Chordless Corby Choir who will perform for the crowds.

At 9.35pm a piper will perform a Diu Regnare, a unique tune written for the occasion.

At 9.40pm cornet player Lynette Ballantyne will play another piece of music called Majesty to officially announce the lighting of the beacons.

Then at 9.45pm, to coincide with the lighting of all the beacons across the country, the mayor and the youngest member of The Friends of Coronation Park, Olivia, will light the beacon and a recording of Beanfield School singing A Song for the Commonwealth will be played.