Union Flags to fly high above Humber Bridge for Jubilee
Celebrations will be happening across Greater Lincolnshire
Former Hessle Town Councillor Phil Withers, Estates Lettings Manager Adam Whare, and Nigel Cousins, Managing Director of Hi-Fliers. | Photo: Phil Ascough/Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce
The Union Flag will fly from two of the highest points in the region at the top of the Humber Bridge as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Hessle Town Council, which has also organised the Jubilee Flotilla (a small fleet of warships) and flypast for the celebrations, secured an agreement with the Humber Bridge Board to raise the flags on each of the two towers of the Bridge on the evening of Wednesday, June 1.
Local businesses have rallied round to provide the flags and will take the opportunity to acknowledge the armed forces by handing the flag-hoisting duties to Gary “Goose” Cryer. Gary is a Parachute Regiment veteran and founding member of the Care After Combat Charity.
The flags have been sourced by Hull-based company Hi-Fliers, which was formed around 40 years ago and operates internationally with a second branch in Florida.
The installation cost have been covered by Estates, a property business based on the banks of the Humber at Waterside Business Park in Hessle.
Nigel Cousins, managing director of Hi-Fliers, said: “We have never done a flag above 300 feet high and the towers reach 510 feet so it will be a high point for us! I don’t know if anybody will be going higher than that for the Platinum Jubilee but they will certainly be the highest flags in our region and we are very proud to be involved.”
The Jubilee Flotilla of 70 ships and boats will be a celebration of Her Majesty’s reign. It will also be a re-enactment of the Humber Flotilla of 60 boats for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and the historic occasion in 1987 when watermen gathered their boats on the Humber in celebration of Queen Victoria’s 60-year reign.
The town council has also liaised with Visit Hull and East Yorkshire on a programme of activities during the day which will include music and entertainment at Hessle Foreshore and Hull Marina.
Michael Wood, the East Riding of Yorkshire town crier, will deliver a Royal proclamation at the beacon on Hessle Foreshore at 2pm on Thursday, June 2.
The RAF Battle of Britain flypast by two Spitfires at Victoria Pier in Hull will signal the start of the flotilla at 7pm. The vessels are due to arrive at the Humber Bridge at 8pm and will then turn round west of the bridge and begin their return to Hull at 9pm, with some continuing to Grimsby.
At 9.45pm there will be the ceremonial lighting of Jubilee beacons at Hull, Hessle, North Ferriby, Barton and other locations around the estuary – all part of an initiative to light 2,022 beacons around the UK.
Beacons will also be lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals and the Principal Beacon lighting will take place in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
From street parties to free rollercoaster rides, these are some of the exciting events planned across Greater Lincolnshire for the Platinum Jubilee – see our round-up here.
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The annual Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival takes place this weekend to celebrate life on the Home Front with a variety of themed events across the village.
The 2022 festival, which is run by a volunteer team of local residents, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10 and entrance to the event is free.
Although entry to the main event and a lot of the entertainment and displays will be free, there are various ticketed concerts and dances that do incur a cost – see more information here.
Thousands usually gather at the Woodhall Spa 1940s festival. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Among the highlights at the festival will be flypasts from The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), including a Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane – see more information here.
Temporary Traffic Measures will be in place During the Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival on July 9 and 10, 2022.
There will be numerous road closures and traffic management measures put in place over the festival weekend – see more information here.
There will also be a Festival market and charity stands, including at Jubilee Park, and people can bring dogs but their pets are not permitted on the ‘Park and Ride’ buses.
It is expected to be a sunny weekend, with temperatures reaching as high as 25°C in the picturesque Lincolnshire village.
Skegness and Boston are to welcome the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay on Monday, July 11 2022.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is a tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build-up to the Games.
Travelling via land, air and sea, more than 180 communities in England are experiencing the Queen’s Baton on a route spanning 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres) which started earlier this week in the South West on a 25-day tour of the region.
The baton will arrive in Lincoln on Sunday, July 10 before making its way to Skegness on Monday, July 11. After leaving Skegness, the baton will travel to Boston and then to Grantham before leaving the county.
Skegness will kick off the relay with the baton expected to be at Compass Gardens at 8am. The baton will then be taken on Magna Vitae’s Altitude44 high ropes before leaving Skegness at around 8.16am.
The Boston leg of the relay is expected to commence at 9.21am and end at 9.26am. The route starts in the Market Place, onto Church Street taking in the backdrop of the Stump and returning to the Market Place via Church Street.
The baton bearers for Skegness are Paul Dixon and Geoffrey Wilson. For Boston they are Peter Ward and Linda Baxter.
Paul Dixon, who was medically discharged from the Army in 2004, is a familiar face in the town. He is chairman of a local business chamber, chairman of the Skegness branch of The Royal British Legion, and a Lincolnshire Committee member. He is also the County Community Support Coordinator for Lincolnshire on behalf of the RBL.
Geoffrey Wilson is one of Magna Vitae’s longest serving members. He served in the RAF for 31 years and since 1989 he has been attending the area’s leisure facilities, including the old popular outdoor swimming pool at Skegness. He is possibly Magna Vitae’s oldest climber on Altitude 44 when he visited last year.
Peter Ward from Boston gives time to the local triathlon club to coach young children to improve swimming to enable them to take part in triathlons. At the age of 69 he qualified for the GB Age Group World and European Duathlon Age Group Championships and at the age of 71 finished for a couple of years.
Linda Baxter is the head coach of Evolution Martial Arts in Boston. Her main aim over the past 14 years has been to give youngsters and adults a positive goal in life. In that time, she has also produced Kickboxing World, European and British champions.
Cllr Steve Kirk, Portfolio holder for the Coastal Economy at East Lindsey District Council said: “It is a great honour for Skegness to be chosen to host the Queen’s Baton Relay. This will be an exciting time for the resort and a memorable day, particularly for the baton bearers who are well known in the community.
“It is great Skegness is playing its part in this national event in the run up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and I look forward to welcoming the baton on Monday.”
Cllr Nigel Welton, Deputy Leader for Boston Borough Council said: “It is a privilege to welcome the Queen’s Baton relay into Boston and to showcase it around the iconic landmark of Boston Stump.
“The baton bearers both work hard to help the young people of the town achieve sporting and personal success. I would like to thank them for their commitment to helping young people and hope they enjoy their special day.”
Following the England tour, the baton relay will conclude at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on July 28, 2022.