Diamond Jubilee Report

I would like to thank the team of helpers who have been working hard since last September to make this weekend a success. They in turn have been supported by you, the village, who have parted with deposits and paid for tickets well in advance enabling orders to be placed for all the facilities that will appear over the next few days.

So it is now over to you all to enjoy the programme of events that have been arranged and join in a much as possible and make it a memorable Diamond Jubilee Celebration.

Badges

You will shortly be receiving badges for the tickets purchased. They are your personal souvenir and must be worn at all times to access the event. Please ensure that your guests wear their badges so as to avoid embarrassment as we will monitor those on site and will be challenging those not recognised or not wearing badges. The event has not been advertised outside of the village and is in effect a private function mostly taking place on private land and those unidentified will be asked to leave.

So remember – no badge no food!

If you haven’t received badges that you are expecting by Friday 1st June please contact Mike Collins on 680564.

Security

Please be aware of strangers and do not be afraid to challenge them particularly in unexpected circumstances. If in doubt please contact one of the event stewards. Details of stewards will be included in your event programme and on notices around the site.

We have measures in place to ensure that our environs and all those attending the event remain safe and secure throughout the weekend.

Special Needs & Medical Emergency

Always call 999 for any medical emergency but then call our own First Responders, Mick & Barbara Shepard (07977 149317) who will be available all weekend and usually onsite.

If anyone considers they or any member of their party have special needs please make these know to Sue Robbins on 680496.

Road Closure

Main Street will be closed completely to all traffic from 8am on Sunday morning until late, from 9:30am until at least midnight on Monday and on Tuesday from 9am until approximately 2pm.

Access will be maintained to all properties on Main Street at all times for emergencies but we would respectfully ask residents living between The Peacock, towards the Church as far as the junction with Back Lane, to remove cars from the street during the periods of closure.

This is particularly important on Sunday as tables for the Big Diamond Jubilee lunch will be installed from 9am. If you will need to use a vehicle parked in a garage or on a drive during Sunday please consider moving it elsewhere before we start erecting the tables.

Weather

This is one thing we are unable to control but we have powerful allies at work!

If the weather is inclement the event will continue as planned although some of the outside activities will be curtailed. The Big Diamond Jubilee Lunch will go ahead but will be split between the marquee and the Old Chapel. The Pig Roast and the live music will go ahead in the marquee on Sunday.

Art in the Chapel

The art class under the leadership of Barbara Kenny have been working on a theme of the Queen and diamond jubilee subjects this year. Their work will be on show throughout the weekend in the Old Chapel.

Catering and Drinks

You do not need to bring anything to the Big Diamond Jubilee Lunch. We have sufficient tables and chairs for everybody to sit down for lunch. The tables will be suitably decorated and disposable plates and cutlery will be provided. If you want to eat off your best dinner service you are free to bring it along at your own risk. If you want to bring your own cutlery please do so but you will remain responsible for it at all times.

You are free to bring drinks of your own choice to the lunch. Please bring your own drinking containers. We would prefer that glass is not used for obvious safety reasons.

The Peacock will provide a normal bar service throughout the event and will be offering specially brewed Diamond Jubilee celebration ales from the barn.

You are free to bring your own drinks for consumption at any events held in the marquee and within the field boundary. Other than the Big Diamond Jubilee Lunch, consumption of your own drink elsewhere will be discouraged. Clearly it will be unacceptable on the licensed premises of the Peacock Inn.

Programme of Events

All events and timings are subject to change without notice.

Sunday 3rd June,

8am Build up breakfast at the Old Chapel – a breakfast briefing for stewards and muscle men who will help with lifting and shifting during the event. First job is to erect tables on Main Street for decoration to commence at 9:30am. Bacon and / or sausage rolls will be available. (That’s a bribe!)

12 noon bells ring to announce the start of our celebrations and Church service which will start at 12:15pm. 1pm – dedication of OWLS Church Yard commemorative planting. Those gathered at Church will then process to Main Street for the ‘Big Diamond Jubilee Lunch’.

Tables will not be reserved but obviously family groups will expect to sit together. One of the principle purposes of the Big Diamond Jubilee Lunch is to get communities to mix so please respect this objective and meet someone new!

You are requested not to sit at a table until invited to do so!

Tables will be formed to accommodate 30 people. Serving commences at 1:45pm with a menu of ham, salmon, new potatoes and salads followed by a pudding. (Vegetarian options available) A table head will be appointed by the catering team and a ham will be carved at each table. Sides of salmon will also be delivered to the tables for serving.

A variety of field games mainly for the children will start at approximately 4pm, followed by ‘Has Oxhill Got Talent?’ home grown entertainment (approx 5:30pm).

Big Diamond Jubilee Quiz (New)

The evening will continue from approximately 7:30pm with the Big Diamond Jubilee Quiz. This will comprise general knowledge questions about the last 60 years, pictures, and music questions and interludes. Thanks to Adrian Marklow for agreeing to write the questions.

The quiz is free to enter and depending on demand will take place in the marquee or if there are only a limited number of entries, at the Peacock.

Please register your team of 4 on the day so that we know how many answer sheets to prepare and whether the marquee needs to be set up for the quiz.

Monday 4th June

Commencing at 2pm – The great red hobby horse races and best dressed competitions will be held in the field and the parade ring. We need lots of entrants to make this a success. Not racing? Come in your best fancy dress racing attire. Open to all ages and it is not too late to enter, please contact Ed Bracher on 680927 or e-mail hobbyhorse @ oxhill.org.uk or just turn up harnessed up! The prizes for this event are sponsored by Red Horse Fuels Limited.

Children’s field games will again be available from approximately 3:30pm. Afternoon teas will be available from the marquee from about 3pm until approx 4:30pm.

What is Family Water Volley Ball?

It’s traditional in Oxhill or has become that way over the last few major events. Two teams of four hold bed sheets, one in each corner, on either side of a volley ball net. A water filled balloon is placed in the one team’s sheet and they serve it over the net. The other team catch it in the sheet and toss it back. Simples! Otherwise its like volley ball! Starting about 4pm. Entries in advance preferred to Andy Buchanan on 688112.

Evening Entertainment

Presentation of prizes to winners for all the events will take place at approximately 6pm. From 6:30pm we will commence serving the pig roast. From 8pm we have live music with Pascal’s Triangle. We will break at dusk (approximately 10:15pm) to launch 60 red, white and blue lanterns (subject to suitable weather conditions). Live music continues until midnight.

Tuesday 5th June

Clean up the site from 10am until finished. Retire to the pub garden for the Breakdown BBQ and paella pan in the garden of the Peacock. Food available but not included in the ticket price but wear your badges!

The British Library Queen's Diamond Jubilee, 2012 Special Collection

The British Library has selected a number of key websites of research interest to form the basis of a collection on Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, 2012. It is their intended aim to download selected websites during 2012 to cover the development of this historic event, and subsequently make them available to the public via our website at http://www.webarchive.org.uk/.

I am please to be able to announce that the Oxhill News website has been selected for inclusion in this collection. Consequently the July edition of the news on the website will be extended to contain a photographic record and commentary of our celebrations.

Make the event fun and successful.

The weekend celebration is organised ‘In the village, by the village, for the village’. It is now over to all those participating to make the event fun and successful.

A great big thank you to all those who have been work hard to make the event happen.

The team that have planned this extraordinary village event hope you all enjoy the Oxhill Celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Main Contact Details

Should any residents have any concerns about the event then please contact Mike Collins on 680564 or by e-mail to diamond.jubilee @ oxhill.org.uk.

This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.

Send mail to the editor of the Oxhill News at news-editor @ oxhill.org.uk.

Last modified: June 19, 2012