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Warm Lancashire Welcome For Her Majesty

Published Thursday 17th May 2012 in Community and living news

The sun shone as large crowds flocked to Accrington town centre on Wednesday 16 May, when Hyndburn gave Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh a warm Lancashire welcome.

As part of the North-West leg of the Diamond Jubilee tour, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness visited Accrington Market Hall, where The Queen unveiled a coat of arms and then, joined by The Duke of Edinburgh, visited market stalls and chatted to traders.

Her Majesty then went on a walkabout, accompanied by Chief Executive David Welsby, where she chatted to visitors and accepted flowers and gifts from well-wishers in the crowd.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness then moved to Accrington Town Hall where they attended a short reception. Students from Accrington and Rossendale College and North Lancs Training Group provided the excellent catering for our guests. They then viewed a County Parade and March Past from the Town Hall balcony, which involved over 500 people from organisations across Lancashire.

During the visit The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh also met 22 Mayors representing the Councils of Lancashire and Cumbria at the Town Hall.

Waiting visitors were entertained by appearances of Sponge Bob Square Pants, Dora the Explorer, Aang and Diego, and St Christopher's School performed a specially-commissioned song for the Queen called 'Lancashire Hill Country', composed by Head of Music, Helen Davies and Matthew Drury.  There were  also performances by Accrington's historic Pipe Band as well as the Ghurkha regimental band.

Before leaving, The Queen was presented with posies by six year old Olivia Waine, of St Anne and St Joseph's Primary School in Accrington and nine year old Rachel Stansfield, of West End Primary School Oswaldtwistle who have both participated in a Diamond Jubilee Schools artwork and poetry competition.