We were honoured to have one of the Queen’s representatives attend our brief celebrations for the Queen’s 90th birthday.
At 6pm a happy thanksgiving service was held in our beautiful Church. The choir sang an anthem with great musical skill to a large congregation.
Then everyone repaired for a brief drink or two, to the New Hall, and it became apparent that this was really going to be a community event with visitors from Icklesham, Camber, Hastings, the “Beach” and Rye Harbour as well as our own residents. Older children from the school enjoyed running around on the cricket pitch before we all set off behind our piper to the beacon.
The message from Prince Charles was read by Graham Peters, a Deputy Lieutenant of East Sussex, and one verse of the National Anthem sung before the Beacon was lit at 7.31 pm precisely. This timing was critical as the Queen was lighting her Beacon, I believe at 7.30pm.
It was an occasion enjoyed by all 150 plus participants. Huge thanks are due to Mason Palmer (farmer) and the National Trust for letting us on their land at the tail end of lambing! The same thanks go to a group from Winchelsea Corporation and a sprightly young resident of 70 plus, who always helps us to charge the beacon.
But after it was all over and the hard work of organisation was completed, to find unbidden, members of the Corporation and the community together helping to clean up in the New Hall was just the best ending anyone could have wished for. This was the icing on the cake for me after a wonderful one and a half hours of celebration.