This year, we mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 70th year on the throne, a milestone that’s never before been reached in our country. Celebrations will be taking place all over Merton throughout the extended Bank Holiday weekend, which runs from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.
Residents from 94 streets have had applications to close their roads for street parties approved by the council. These street parties will be spread across the Bank Holiday weekend, and cover all parts of the borough. It’s the responsibility of the residents of each road to plan activities on the day of the party. To find out where and when each street party will be held, you can visit Merton’s Jubilee webpage.
The council is also marking this national milestone by taking part in the Queen’s Green Canopy tree planting initiative. This unique scheme that invites people and organisations from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”. As such, the council will be planting 3,000 trees across the borough, one for every child born in the borough this year.
For those who wish to learn more about Merton’s own royal history, the council’s Heritage Team has put together a fantastic range of resources to mark this special occasion, including an online display, a quiz, craft activities, archive film and reminiscence materials. Visit Merton’s Heritage website for fun Jubilee activities for all age groups.
Additionally, Merton’s Libraries Team is hosting a number of events for a range of age groups to celebrate the occasion.
One Merton resident who will be reflecting on her own experiences with our monarch is Deputy Mayor, Councillor Edith Macauley MBE, who has met the Queen on two occasions: upon receiving her MBE for services to the local community in 2012, and at a gathering of representatives from London boroughs in 2002.
Cllr Macauley said, “Her Majesty The Queen has served our country with grace and strength for 70 years, and I’m delighted that our borough will be joining together to celebrate her longevity as our Head of State. I have been honoured to meet Her Majesty on two occasions over the last 20 years, and these experiences will stay with me forever. The length of her reign makes her a historic monarch, but to me the remarkable thing about her is not merely that she is our longest-serving King or Queen, it’s her dedication to public service, her humanity and her dignity. All these qualities have made her an exceptionally popular Queen, and we hope that she will continue to reign for many more years.”