As I write this in May, the sense of excitement around Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration is already building.

Her Majesty’s attendance last month at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, following some absences from public events due to mobility issues – including the State Opening of Parliament last month for the first time since 1963 - was met by rapturous applause and a standing ovation.

I know the special four-day Bank Holiday weekend to mark Her Majesty’s 70-year reign will be enjoyed by people all over South Shropshire, including those who have arranged special events to mark this unprecedented milestone in our royal history.

With many events taking place across South Shropshire, very regrettably I cannot be at every one to which I have been invited. But I shall be joining as many as I can, to celebrate Her Majesty’s remarkable reign and the way the monarchy still, almost uniquely, brings together entire communities to celebrate everything we love about the UK.

While community events are taking place all over the country, a series of national events will help mark the occasion, beginning with the traditional Queen’s Birthday Parade – Trooping the Colour – on Thursday 2nd June. Friday will see a Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen’s reign at St Paul’s Cathedral, and on Saturday Her Majesty will attend Epsom Downs for the Derby.

This is followed by the Platinum Party at the Palace on Saturday night, with famous faces providing music and entertainment, all available on the BBC One and iPlayer. On Sunday 5th June, over 60,000 people have registered to host Big Jubilee Lunches, and a Platinum Jubilee Pageant will bring to life iconic moments from The Queen’s reign, with over 10,000 people involved, showcasing our changing society over the past 70 years.

As part of the celebrations over the weekend, I shall also be lighting one of the Platinum Jubilee Beacons – one of thousands of beacons across the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK Overseas Territories and the Commonwealth forming a chain of light. Beacons have traditionally been lit to mark royal celebrations, including Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, as well as Her Majesty’s Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees.

Most events in the community are locally publicised, but some in South Shropshire have further details on  https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk, if you are looking to join celebrations.

After the horror of coronavirus and its impact on all of us, this celebration of Her Majesty’s unprecedented 70-year reign is the first major national opportunity to come together in celebration. The length of her reign means that the Queen has been a consistent presence in the lives of most of us, providing a national figure we look to in both times of tragedy and celebration. Her message to the nation at the beginning of the pandemic was a perfect example of this important role for the nation. So  I hope, at this new moment of celebration, everyone in South Shropshire is able to enjoy a special and memorable weekend.