Chichester confirms procession and family fun afternoon for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

The procession, on Saturday, June 4, will be followed by a family fun afternoon with stalls and attractions in Priory Park.

And the good news is that the City Council wants as many people as possible involved.

The hope is that the entire community will come together and support an enjoyable day for the whole family.

Ways to be involved could be joining the procession; running a game stall/attraction in Priory Park; or putting on a display in the arena.

In 2012 the carnival attracted nearly 900 participants.

Several thousand people lined the streets to watch the procession and went on to enjoy the family fun afternoon in Priory Park.

Rodney Duggua, Town Clerk, Chichester City Council, said it would be a very special event.

“We have got the longest-serving monarch in our history and someone who has always put her duty before everything else, and that is a very, very noble quality.

“This will all be about the community coming together.

“The parade will start from the New Park Road rec and will go down New Park Road to Oaklands Way and then down North Street towards the Cross and then down East Street and back to New Park Road.”

And while it will be in celebration of the Queen, the City Council is inviting communities and organisations to join in in celebration perhaps of their own significant events and anniversaries during the Queen’s reign.

“We would like the organisations to be celebrating their own special times as well.”

Rodney also stressed that the City Council were very keen that it should be a procession of people on foot rather than vehicles.

Precise timings remain to be worked out, but a possible start time for the procession is around 10.30am, and Rodney estimates it will take an hour or so to complete the circuit.

He also predicts it will involve significant traffic disruption and is urging people to think ahead in terms of walking or cycling or getting the train to get there. The strong recommendation is to leave cars at home if at all possible.

After the procession, events will move to Priory Park starting around midday.

“And that’s another thing that we are hoping everyone will buy into.

“They can set up a stall for their residents’ groups or community groups or whatever.”

Rodney is hoping for a military band to lead the procession.

There will also be music in Priory Park in the afternoon alongside a full range of family-fun attractions. The hope is to bring together as many people as possible to mark the occasion.

As part of preparations, the event needs a headline sponsor who will in turn receive a substantial advertising package with V2 Radio.

To discuss further and to find out more about taking part on the day, contact Claire Adams at Chichester City Council on 01243 788502.

Alternatively you can email her on [email protected]

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