Jubilee: Box revellers take cover for marquee party (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Jubilee: Box revellers take cover for marquee party

4:43pm Tuesday 5th June 2012 in News By Craig Jones

Box ensured the bad weather didn’t rain on their parade by erecting a huge marquee for their extended weekend long celebrations and the village even had a special royal visit.

Festivities took place from Friday through to Tuesday in the large marquee put up on the village’s Recreation Ground, near the Selwyn Hall.

One of the highlights of Box’s celebrations was a surprise visit by the Queen, also known as local resident Helen West, who took time out of her busy jubilee schedule to make a VIP appearance judging the best decorated house in Box competition with the winner announced during Tuesday’s picnic lunch attended by around 200 people.

The Queen said: “It is a privilege to be in Box as part of the celebrations and I’ve enjoyed the great community spirit and everyone’s determination to carry on regardless of the bad weather.”

On Saturday evening, the marquee hosted Box’s Got Talent which featured metal band Roads to Nowhere and was won by singer Kyle Condon.

On Monday evening, villagers went up to Jamie’s Farm, to take part in the lighting of Box’s Jubilee Beacon.

The lighting was part of an international celebration which saw more than 4,000 beacons ignited throughout the Commonwealth.

The real Queen lit the final beacon from the stage of a concert which took place at Buckingham Palace in front of 100,000 people which featured performances from Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Tom Jones amongst many others.

Mike Curds, one of the organisers of Box’s events, said: “We’ve had an absolutely fantastic weekend in the village, we’ve really made sure the people of Box have had something fun to do, we’ve had live music, a bake off, Box’s Got Talent and a fairground attractions outside.

“Everything has gone really well and we always pride ourselves in putting on something special in Box.”

In Corsham on Tuesday, the town’s cricket club hit a six with a community party featuring games in the pavilion and a barbecue.

One of the organisers, Sue Unwin, said: “It was a great way to get everybody together and round off the celebrations in style.”