Woking is proud to be part of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons and Associated Activities on 2 June 2022

Date: 

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022

Woking Borough Council has announced plans to light a beacon for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on the evening of Thursday 2 June 2022.

The beacon is one of thousands being lit in the UK and the Commonwealth, and forms part of the official programme announced by Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee Weekend.

The beacon will be lit in Jubilee Square, at the centre of Woking town Centre, and it will be one of over 2,022 lit by charities, communities and faith groups all over the UK.

In addition, beacons will be lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals and the Principal Beacon lighting will take place in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening. This will take the form of a lighting installation with The Queen’s Green Canopy ‘Tree of Trees’ sculpture and projections onto the front of Buckingham Palace. This innovative new way of taking part in the beacon lighting will reflect the Royal Family’s long history championing environmental causes.

Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, Pageantmaster of The Queen’s Jubilee Platinum Beacons said; “Building on a long tradition of lighting beacons to mark significant royal celebrations, thousands of beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth. They will enable local communities to join together to pay tribute to Her Majesty as part of the official programme of events.

“For the first time, town criers, pipers, buglers and choirs from the UK and the Commonwealth will come together to join in the celebrations in their own individual and special way. It is wonderful to see the range of support for beacon lighting, which will highlight both the diversity and unity of the nation and the Commonwealth. The Queen has lit up our lives for 70 years through her dedicated service and commitment. We would like to light up the nation and the Commonwealth in her honour.”

Julie Fisher, Woking Borough Council’s Chief Executive Officer said; “We are proud to be part of this momentous celebration. It is only appropriate that this unique milestone in history is marked with beacons and music. We are honoured to be part of this special event for Her Majesty, The Queen’s 70th year as our Monarch and Head of the Commonwealth on her Platinum Jubilee."

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons and Associated Activities have been conceived and organised by Pageantmaster Bruno Peek and his dedicated team. The timeline for Woking’s beacon lighting adheres to the Pagentmaster’s prescribed format:

  • At 2pm a specially written Proclamation heralding the lighting of the beacons later that day will be proclaimed by Master of Ceremonies, Ges Ray.
  • At 9pm Ges Ray will introduce local singer, Simon Greenhill, who will lead the celebrations.   
  • At 9.35pm a local piper, Elysée Spacie from Gordon’s School, will play Diu Regnare, a unique tune specially written for the occasion by Piper Major, Stuart Liddell, the world’s leading piper.
  • At 9.40pm a local bugler, Jess Fowler from Gordon’s School, will officially announce the lighting of the beacon with a specially written bugle call, entitled Majesty.
  • At 9.45pm exactly, The Mayor of Woking will light the beacon in Jubilee Square closely followed by a performance of 'A Life lived with Grace' by a community choir. This special ‘Song for the Commonwealth’ has been written and composed by Lucy Keily, from Australia and Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu from Nigeria.
  • To close the ceremony there will be further performances from Simon Greenhill and the community choir, with the public encouraged to join in.