Young and Old Start to Celebrate Queen’s Jubilee

Many community groups and organisations have put on special events to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ahead of the official Bank Holiday weekend.

1st Henley Brownies held their party at Harpsden Hall last week with tea, biscuit decorating, crafts and a right royal game.  The Brownies enjoyed a traditional tea of jam and cucumber sandwiches, fairy cakes and scones.  They then each decorated a crown biscuit.  Each six then made a crown, cloak, jewelled orb and sceptre and a hobby horse for the game Let Her Reign where the girls in sixes had shake a six on the dice first and then go and curtsey to the Queen before throwing other numbers for each of the different items until the Queen was crowned with a 1.  Brownie Leader said, “The Brownies had real fun creating all the items and there was a lot of excitement when the dices were thrown to win!  As the Royal Family have a close association with Girlguiding we couldn’t not mark this special occasion.  All the Brownies were presented with a specially produced Girlguiding Platinum Jubilee badge to sew on their sash at the end of the evening.”

Bluebells Day Centre members and their families and carers joined together for a tea party at the Christ Church Centre on Monday.  They were entertained with songs from Lynne Nash which included Sweet Caroline.  Lynne said, “I’ve been entertaining dementia groups for quite a long time.  They are so in the moment when they are singing along.  They just seem to love music.

They also celebrated Bluebells’ member, Bill’s birthday who is going to be 93 young this week with a cake and singing him Happy Birthday.

Chair of the Trustees, Glen Lambert said, “If ever there is a reason to have a celebratory sing-song, you can always rely on Bluebells Day Centre to spread some joy and today we are celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. People living with Dementia tend to lose their newer memories first and oldest memories last so all our guests know and love our Queen and National Anthem very well so today’s celebration of the Platinum Jubilee is one they all understand and can enjoy together.  Speaking of anthems, how lovely to see Ken Fitt join the party and help lead the singing of Sweet Caroline which, due to Ken’s numerous performances at Bluebells, has become our official anthem and it never fails to light up the group.”