COMMUNITY stalwart Lynda Burton was so appalled at the lack of celebrations in Bedworth town centre for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee that she decided to take matters into her own hands.
As a result of her one-woman crusade there will now be events in All Saints Square this Saturday to mark the Queen’s 60 years on the throne.
She fired off emails to everyone on the Town Centre Partnership challenging them to take part.
“I had two replies, “ said Lynda, chairman of the Bedworth Society and Bedworth Lions Citizen of the year.
“The first was from John Vale of the Salvation Army, who agreed to help and the other from Alan Ottey, the town centres manager, who was sympathetic, but had no money forthcoming from the borough council.
“But I then contacted Alan again and we discussed an idea to involve the Classic Car Club which meets at the Griffin Inn to organise a cavalcade of vehicles from the six decades of the Queen’s reign.
“We also put together a list of other attractions which would compliment the cavalcade which included a hot and cold food stall, tea and coffee stall, live and recorded music, dancing and circus skills.”
The Classic Car Club members immediately agreed to bring their vehicles and, between the two of them, they have `saved’ the day.
The Bedworth Wind Band and the Rainbow Theatre Company are also taking part.
But Lynda said: “There are still opportunities for others to join in the celebrations.
“I am open to any other suggestions and offers of help from anyone who can add to the list of attractions and to the owners of other classic cars who would like to bring their vehicles along.”
Her efforts were prompted by part of an exhibition in the Nurse’s Home about the fantastic celebrations in Bedworth for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1887.
An original poster from that time is on display in the Nurse’s Home which is part of Bedworth Heritage Centre.
There is also a newspaper report on how the town marked Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Nearly 20,000 people watched the procession when the population of the town was just 11,000.
Bands, businesses and 1,633 schoolchildren took part and there were bonfires, dancing, games and sports , free roast beef dinners and a gift of money for 463 local residents and widows.
“Surely, however strong or indifferent our Royalist support, we could not let the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee go by unmarked in Bedworth in 2012,” said Lynda, who can be contacted on 024 7661 9126 or by email at lyndaburton@gmail.com
