On Thursday April 21st, Newcastle will be joining other towns and cities up and down the country in celebrating Her Majesty’s 90th birthday with the highlight being the lighting of a special Beacon.
Ceremonial Way, which runs directly outside of Newcastle’s Civic Centre will play host to the evening ceremony led by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Newcastle, Councillor Ian Graham and Margaret Graham.
The thirty-minute event will open with a welcoming reading by the Lord Mayor; music from Newcastle-based The Band of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Civic Centre Choir; followed by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Major Eric Ingram MBE reading a birthday message issued by HRH The Prince of Wales.
Councillor Ian Graham, said: “It is an honour and a great privilege to be the first citizen of Newcastle during Her Majesty’s ninetieth year; and to be leading a ceremony of North-East dignitaries to help mark the occasion.
“This is a very momentous year in our national and Civic history. We are in the 800th year of the Mayorality in Newcastle – an honour conferred on us by King John; and Her Majesty The Queen is now our longest serving monarch. We owe a debt of gratitude to Her Majesty and welcome the opportunity to celebrate her landmark birthday.”
The ceremony will close with the lighting of the Beacon accompanied by a communal rendition of “Happy Birthday”.
Beacons will be lit along the Long Walk, Windsor Great Park, and at 1,000 other locations throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and UK overseas Territories.
The Army Cadet Force are taking special gas fuelled Beacons to the top of the Four Highest Peaks in the UK:
Ben Nevis – Scotland (1st Battalion Highlanders Army Cadet Force)
Mount Snowdon – Wales (Clwyd and Gwynedd Army Cadet Force)
Scafell Pike – England (Cumbria Army Cadet Force)
Slieve Donard – Northern Ireland (2nd NI Battalion Army Cadet Force)
The Newcastle Beacon will stay lit for an hour.
The proceedings will commence at 7pm outside of Newcastle’s Civic Centre with everyone being welcome to attend.