Hope for the future as cathedral beacon is lit

A BEACON lighting event took place in Coventry Cathedral ruins to kick off the four-day celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Across the UK more than 2,000 beacons were lit to mark the occasion.

The beacons enable local communities to join together and pay tribute to Her Majesty as part of the official programme of events.

The theme of the Coventry Cathedral ruins event was ‘Hope for the Future.’

The Queen began the beacon lighting events around the world by touching a globe representing the Commonwealth nations, symbolically sending a chain of lights from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace.

It was a free ticketed event on the first day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations (Thursday June 2) and the event comprised speeches, a choir, spoken word and the lighting of Coventry’s community beacon.

It was one of more than 3,500 beacons lit across the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Coventry Cathedral ruins beacon lighting event was introduced by host Brody Swain followed by music performed by Caitlin Mcglynn.

There was then a speech by Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, deputy leader of Coventry City Council, followed by music performed by the Belles Choir.

The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Kevin Maton, also made a speech and that was followed by music performed by the Warwick Chamber Choir. Before the Lord Mayor lit the beacon at 9.45pm there was a performance of Fanfare to the Commonwealth and Song for the Commonwealth.