The Queen’s historic Platinum Jubilee was celebrated by generations of all ages across Aberdeen city over the special bank holiday weekend.
On Sunday, over 1,500 specially prepared Jubilee picnics were delivered to nursing and care homes and sheltered housing complexes across the city, to coincide with the Queen’s Jubilee Family Picnic event that took place at Duthie Park.
A number of the city’s Deputy Lieutenants supported the initiative by assisting with the deliveries and presenting of hampers and picnic fare, to allow all the residents to join in with the historic celebrations that were happening up and down the country.
The Queen’s Jubilee Family Picnic event was held in the Duthie Park yesterday and was hosted by Aberdeen Lord Provost David Cameron, in his role as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant.
Large crowds enjoyed the sunny weather and brought their own picnics to soak up the celebratory atmosphere with live music from the Bon Accord Silver Band and Newtonhill Pipe Band.
Children and adults alike enjoyed the variety of activities on offer including canoeing on the park pond, sport activities from Wheelie Fun and face painting by Kidsize. The prince and princess walkabouts from Love Rara added to the royal occasion!
These events followed the lighting of an official Jubilee Beacon outside Marischal College last Thursday evening. Lord Provost David Cameron in his role as Lord-Lieutenant lit one of 3,300 beacons that were being lit at the same time across the country and beyond throughout the Commonwealth.
Well-known Scottish entertainer and broadcaster Robert Lovie welcomed the guests, officials and general public who had gathered for the lighting ceremony. Pupils from St Margaret’s School for Girls and piper Julie Brinklow provided the musical entertainment during the short ceremony with the school choir performing “A Song for the Commonwealth – A Life Lived with Grace” as a unique musical tribute to Her Majesty The Queen.
To close the ceremony Robert, who performed the National Anthem at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, sung God Save the Queen with the choir from St Margaret’s School and finished the short ceremony by inviting the crowd to join in three cheers for Her Majesty The Queen.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeen David Cameron said: “It has truly been a fantastic couple of days in Aberdeen as residents and visitors alike came out in force to celebrate and enjoy Her Majesty The Queen’s historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The weather has been amazing to us, and it was great to see hundreds of families enjoying their Jubilee picnics at Duthie Park yesterday.
“I was delighted that we were able to provide more than 1,500 picnics to over 50 nursing homes and sheltered housing premises across the city. The picnics created by our Beach Ballroom catering team and jubilee hampers, put together by the Civic Team at Aberdeen City Council with the deliveries being made by a number of Deputy Lieutenants on my behalf.
“I hope that the treats we provided were enjoyed by all the residents while they were no doubt watching the national celebrations on the television. It was important that we included all of our city, including those who are of Her Majesty The Queen’s own generation, many of whom will remember the Coronation Day in 1953.”
Other events to mark the jubilee are also planned, including a private Service of Thanksgiving for Her Majesty The Queen on Sunday 12 June at St Nicholas Kirk (by invitation only) and as a Champion City, Aberdeen will also plant a commemorative tree in Hazlehead Park as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy Project later this year.