COMMUNITY events are taking place on Clacton greensward to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Tendring Council is helping organise a family event on Thursday, 2 June, the start of the long weekend of celebrations marking the Queen’s 70-year reign.

From 5-7pm, the greensward running alongside Marine Parade West, opposite Clacton Bowling Club, will host a teddy bear picnic, with families invited to come together bringing their own food to enjoy the atmosphere.

On hand for entertainment will be a face painter, balloon modeller and magician, story teller, plus circus and craft workshops, for children to enjoy.

Following the picnic will be ‘an evening at the proms’ combining live music from the Harmonettes, Random Folk and the Spectrum choir, along with some highlights from the 2019 BBC Proms.

At 9pm those taking part will be invited to parade down to Clacton’s new jubilee beacon – located at the edge of the Martello car park – before a piper plays a tune especially commissioned for the Jubilee ahead of the beacon being lit as part of a wave across the world at 9.45pm.

The beacon lighting will be attended by Deputy Lord Lieutenant Bonnie Hill and lit by Tendring Council chairman Peter Harris.

Town and parish councils, and community groups, are organising a number of events across Tendring.

As Clacton does not have its own town council, Tendring Council is working with a number of Clacton district councillors who have provided funding from their jubilee grant pot for the event – with each councillor given £1,000 to spend in their local area.

Further events, organised by Community Voluntary Services Tendring, are also taking place on the Clacton greensward across the Jubilee weekend.

Clacton’s jubilee beacon has been installed thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.