Chiswick Gets Ready To Party
Plan ahead for your Jubilee weekend
Chiswick is getting ready to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style with a series of events in schools, churches and neighbourhoods.
Seven street parties have been approved for W4 by Hounslow Council, the highest number in the Borough, but if you have not organised a local party, there are still ways to join with local people and get into the Jubilee Spirit.
And if you’re walking by the river, watch out for some of the remarkable collection of boats which will be moored at Chiswick Pier in readiness for the Jubilee Pageant. (more details below)
Christchurch in Turnham Green is organising a Summer Fair (11-4) on Saturday, June 2nd and on Sunday, June 3rd there will be a Jubilee Picnic (bring a rug, cream teas) from 3 p.m.
St. Michael’s Church in Elmwood Road has a free Jubilee two-day event which will be opened by actress Rula Lenska on Saturday (June 2nd) at 2 p.m. There will be afternoon teas, craft stalls, face-painting, and even kids’ sumo wrestling. Theatre from the St. Michael’s Players and a free BBQ at 5 p.m. are on offer, with music from 6 p.m. and headline act The Identity at 8pm. The festival continues on Sunday 3 June with a Family Celebration Service at 11am followed by The Big Jubilee Lunch in St Michael’s Church gardens from 12.30pm.
There is a street party at Homefield North Recreation Ground on Saturday from 11-3 p.m. which anyone can attend, and you either bring a picnic or buy food from the stalls. All money raised will go to help Cystic Fibrosis (for details contact chiswicklanestreetparty@hotmail.co.uk).
Grove Park Terrace will be joining in the Jubilee festivities by hosting its very own street party on Monday 4th June. The event will start at 2pm and is open to all residents of Grove Park Terrace, past and present. As well as a big lunch there will be a BBQ, bouncy castle, music and plenty of games and activities for the kids. A raffle will be held in support of the Tommy Hollis foundation, with prizes generously donated from a number of local businesses. There is no entry-fee but all guests are asked to bring a plate of food!
Stamford Brook fete is taking place on 4th June on Stamford Brook Common from noon to 5pm. There will be demonstrations from local groups, including a parade by the Third Chiswick Scout Group, a display by the Middlesex and North West London Army Cadets Force and a gospel concert by singers from the Chiswick Seventh-day Adventist Church. There will be display boards and a quiz devised by local historian Shirley Seaton. At the heart of the celebrations will be a grand community picnic, with marquees kindly provided by the scouts and the cadets in case of inclement weather. More details.
St. Michael and All Angels have a performance of Tosca at Saturday 2nd June at 7.30, And following a special service on Sunday June 3rd , they will host a Big Jubilee Lunch in the open air, outside the Parish Hall. This is on a Bring and Share basis (Coronation chicken is advised ). The church will provide drinks and salads, and the event is scheduled from noon.
Local schools have also had Jubilee lunches and parties with lots of dressing up,
Chiswick Pier and the local RNLI are working flat out to get organised for the Jubilee Pageant which will see lots of visiting vessels mustering here before joining in the flotilla. Watch out for the boats at their moorings over the next week.
The first visitor, "Midnight Blue", a Fairey Marine Huntsman 28, is owned by a local couple, while Blue Moon", from Lisburn, Northern Ireland is a 40ft "Gentleman’s Launch" that has been lovingly restored especially for the pageant and a NI Sea Cadet crew.
Our own Chiswick Sea Cadets will be sailing their Trinity 500 in the flotilla – boat number 44 flying the flag of St Lucia. Watch out for the crew practising manoeuvres in the next week on the Trinity 500 on the river by Chiswick Pier.
Given a fair wind and enough caffeine, "Barely-A-Wake", a traditional narrow boat, should arrive this weekend (26th May). Other boats booked into the Pier are "Dawn Huntress" a Fairey Marine 21ft Huntress, coming from Northumberland; the 50ft "Lindsey 211" on 30th May; & "Hestia" (11.5m) & "Paradox" (32ft) on 31st May.
Paddle-steamer Yarmouth Belle (photo from Turks Cruises)
From around 11pm the night before the Pageant (June 2nd) two paddle steamers – the "Southern Belle" & "Yarmouth Belle" will be berthed here, ready to pick up pre-booked passengers around lunchtime on the Sunday. And, a further vessel, the "Viscount" will be embarking ticketed passengers on the day.
Geoff Holt, MBE YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year 2010, who will be driving "WetWheels" from his wheelchair, is to collect his very special passengers - some children from Naomi House Hospice and the Rose Road Association from Chiswick Pier on the morning of the pageant.
Then, at around 9.30pm after the pageant has dispersed, the "Royal Princess" and the "Viscountess" will be returning rowers to the Pier for the short walk to their camp
Sam’s Brasserie and Bar is also hosting a Jubilee Party on Monday, June 4th from 12 noon with live music in Barley Mow Passage.
Down in King Street, local shops and businesses are also joining in the fun with a Best of British showcase in shops and restaurants between St. Peter’s Square and Ravenscourt Park. There will be street decorations, special offers on food, and other festive activities throughout the day on Saturday June 2nd.
At 10.15pm on Monday 4 June, Pritam Grewal, the new mayor of Hounslow, will light a beacon in Lampton Park in honour of the Queen.
The borough will be one of 4,000 communities lighting beacons across the UK along with communities in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Commonwealth countries and UK overseas territories creating a beacon chain.
The Queen will light the UK’s national beacon in central London at 10.30pm.
To mark the event, there will be plenty of family entertainment on offer with the Barnes Concert Band, a symphonic wind band, performing at 9pm and Dragon Heart Beats’ life-sized, fire-breathing dragons prowling Lampton Park. So come early and grab a good spot.
Cllr Ruth Cadbury, Hounslow’s lead member for the Olympics, said: ”This is a great opportunity to come together to celebrate a truly momentous occasion, and to pay tribute to the sixty years of service the Queen has given us.
“We’re linking into the national celebrations with a mustering point in Chiswick for some of the boats taking part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, and lighting our own beacon in Lampton Park as part of the national Jubilee Beacons project.”
The council is also hoping to hear from anyone who was born in February 1952, the month of the Queen’s ascension to the throne. Those who come forward will receive a special invitation to the lighting of the beacon in Lampton Park as a guest of the Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Pritam Grewal. Contact Julie Davies, PA to the Mayor, on T: 020 8583 2243 or email Julie.davies@hounslow.gov.uk for more details.
For details of activities taking place visit www.facebook.com/hounslowcouncil or www.hounslow.gov.uk/jubilee
May 25, 2012