With thanks for the Jubilee
AS THE dust settles on the Jubilee celebrations and the long weekend, and thoughts turn to day-to-day matters, like the cost of living, may we just take a moment to say a few thank-yous.
To Her Majesty. The nation has congregated this weekend in support of our Queen. We suspect that, within a couple of generations, the Royal Family will be rather different, but the Queen has modernised while retaining most of the standards and respects that many islanders were also brought up with. The weekend’s events have recognised the calm assurance she has brought to her nation across 70 years.
To the organisers of the island’s Jubilee events, especially, but not exclusively, the Vale and St Sampson’s parishes for the L’Islet Jamboree and the community fete at Government House on Saturday. For the northern parishes to come together and put on an event which attracted so many, and drew so many smiles, was a triumph, and another indication that parishes can do events rather well, if suitably motivated.
To the weather gods – we just got by.
And to our new Lt-Governor Richard Cripwell and wife Louise. Not only did His Excellency agree to hand over ‘his garden’ for the community fete, but also in their first concerted spell in the public eye, the couple showed the kind of down-to-earth good humour which islanders like to see from their Queen’s representative.