Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee at Gloucester Cathedral
To coincide with the national Platinum Jubilee weekend in June, your Cathedral has a packed programme of services, events and family activities to which all are welcome
This June, we will be coming together to commemorate the remarkable 70-year-reign of Her Majesty The Queen. To give thanks and praise for The Queen’s life of faith and service, and to mark this momentous occasion in our history, Gloucester Cathedral has planned a unique series of events. All are welcome, and there’s something on offer for everyone.
Cathedral Corgi Trail
From Friday 20 May to Monday 20 June, a very special family trail will be arriving in the Cathedral, featuring none other than The Queen’s beloved Corgis. Visitors will be able to pick up a free Cathedral Corgi Trail leaflet from the Welcome Desk and see how many of the cuddly-toy Corgis they can find. Each will tell you a bit about the Cathedral’s 1000-year history, and the Corgis are all based on recognizable figures.
May Half Term family activity sessions
Over the May Half Term holidays, on 30, 31 May and 1 June, the Cathedral will be running family activity sessions between 12noon and 3.30pm, which will involve crown-making, bunting-designing, brass-rubbing and plenty more.
Family Jubilee Service and Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Interim Dean, Canon Andrew Braddock, will be leading a Family Jubilee Service at 3.30pm on Wednesday 1 June. This service is aimed at younger visitors and their families; visitors are asked to pre-book a ticket for this service in advance via the website to help in managing numbers, but tickets are free. It will be followed by a ‘Teddy Bears’ Picnic’ on Cathedral Green at 4pm. You are invited to bring along your teddies, family, friends, and a picnic, for what promises to be a fun afternoon in beautiful surroundings.
Royal Connections Guided Tours
The history of Gloucester Cathedral has long been intertwined with that of royalty, so for those who wish to find out more, Royal Connections Guided Tours will be running between Tuesday 31 May and Sunday 5 June. The tours will take place at various times throughout the six days, and tickets are available to purchase on the Cathedral website. On Saturday 11 June, Her Majesty The Queen’s birthday, there will be the rare opportunity to glimpse inside the Cathedral’s medieval library and see first-hand the items with a royal link. Tickets for this Library Tour are also available to purchase on the Cathedral website.
The Monk’s Kitchen
The Monk’s Kitchen will be taking part in the Jubilee celebrations too, with a fittingly titled Afternoon Tea, ‘Tea on the Green for The Queen’, available between Thursday 2 June and Sunday 5 June. It will feature all the traditional treats, including a miniature Victoria Sponge Cake and the all-important scone with cream and jam. A Jubilee Ploughman’s will also be on offer, with a locally made pie as its centerpiece that puts a modern twist on a royal tradition that goes back centuries. Further information, including how to book your table, is available on the Cathedral website.
Jubilee medley on the Cathedral bells
Throughout the period of Wednesday 1 June to Saturday 4 June, the Cathedral bells will be ringing out a patriotic Jubilee medley, inspired by BBC Radio 4’s ‘Round Britain’ medley which was played daily between 1973-2006.
Service of Thanksgiving
The Jubilee weekend celebrations will conclude with a joyful Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving on Monday 6 June at 5.30pm. All are welcome. The service will last an hour and contain much loved music used at The Queen’s Coronation including Parry’s I was glad and Handel’s Zadok the Priest.
Interim Dean of Gloucester, Canon Andrew Braddock, said:
“Her Majesty The Queen has, throughout her life, given us an extraordinary example of service, duty and faith. In celebration of The Queen’s reign, Gloucester Cathedral is delighted to be holding a number of exciting events, culminating in the special Service of Thanksgiving on Monday 6 June.
The service and other events are open to all and will be a memorable way to come together to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Please join us as we share in celebrating this unique moment in our history and giving thanks to God for our Queen.”
Further details about all these events can be found on the Cathedral website (see link below), as well as on the Cathedral’s social media pages.
Explore Gloucestershire
18 May 2022
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