In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, seventy years of service, having acceded to the throne on 6th February 1952. To celebrate this achievement, there will be year-long Platinum Jubilee celebrations throughout the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world as communities come together to celebrate The Queen’s historic reign.
The palace has suggested that communities can celebrate in several ways including: encouraging the planting of trees and encouraging children to learn about them with the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy’ scheme; encouraging national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service; encouraging people to celebrate their social connections by getting to know each other a little bit better and coming together in a spirit of fun and friendship by encouraging street parties, lunches, fetes and picnics especially over the big ‘Central Bank Holiday weekend (2nd-5th June)’. (Please note that thanks to a group of Risby residents there will be a Village Fete to mark the Jubilee on 4th June and that thanks to EcoChurch, a Community Contemplation Bench with Sensory Garden and Tree are going ahead at the Church, Location B on Map, please see article about this.)
So with the ideas from the palace in mind, a collection of ideas from Risby residents was proposed to the Parish Council for people, young and old to enjoy. However, before the Parish Council make a final decision they would like to ask you, the residents, what you think. Please read the suggestions below and respond to the Parish Council if you are or are not in support of the following:
(Please note that where applicable funding will be sourced from local organisations and council grants. Residents will have the opportunity to be involved with the creation and maintenance of these installations. All installations will be marked with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee logo sign. Please see map for location of the proposed ideas on the Greens, images and maps for this are also on the Parish Council website https://risby.suffolk.cloud/. The location of the Community Conversation Bench on the East side will depend on land ownership.)
1. Community Conversation Benches
Currently there are no benches in the East side of the village or on the Lower Green and it would be great to have a bench in these areas, next to the trees, for people to sit and chat: so enabling people to get to know each other a little better. These benches could be sited next to our established trees and we could plant spring bulbs and wildflowers near the benches to enhance the beauty of the areas.
2. Risby Reading Tree
On the Upper Green there is a large and beautiful sycamore tree with sweeping boughs and it has been proposed that this tree could be a magical place for storytelling and encouraging our children to read under. (At school, children are encouraged to read outside and under trees with books like the Magic Faraway Tree and the Storey Tree series.) To mark this tree (and any other trees that villagers might think would be good for this purpose) it has been proposed that natural log benches are put under the tree/s for people to use. This idea would also enable our children to learn about trees as suggested by the Queen’s Green Canopy scheme.
3. Interactive Wildlife Spiral
Inspired by the Abbey Gardens Wildflower Maze an interactive Wildflower Spiral has been suggested on the Lower Green for people to play in and enjoy with the spirit of fun element suggested by the palace. The spiral would be made from a mown path and patriotic red, white and blue annual wildflowers, dotted with interactive wooden artwork pieces. These wooden logs would be decorated with artwork by our local wildlife artist and artwork by our Risby children, as well as brass rubbings for people to interact with throughout the year. Workshops at the Village Hall would take place to enable people to get involved with this project. (Please note that this installation would only be temporary for the Jubilee celebratory year and will be turned back to grass the following year.)
4. Plant a Tree for the Jubilee
The Queen’s Green Canopy is a unique, UK-wide tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Historically Risby was a fruit farm with orchards all around the Parish. So to honour Risby’s past and to celebrate the Jubilee it has been proposed that a pair of Apple Trees should be planted on the Lower Green and a pair of Flowering Cherry Trees on the Upper Green. These trees would provide attractive blossom and fruits. A pair of Guelder Rose bushes has also been proposed for the Lower Green to benefit pollinators in the spring and birds in the winter.
5. Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Flowerbed
The Jubilee logo is a lovely purple colour and to reflect this element a flowerbed of purple hardy geraniums has been suggested to improve the look of the ‘Mere’ or ‘Sump’ (the area dug as a flood defence) on the Lower Green to enhance the attractiveness of this area.
Fig. 1. Map of Risby with Locations of Proposed Sites
Fig. 2. Map of Lower Green with Proposed Sites
Fig. 3. Stylised Image of Spiral
Response Form
Please tick the idea/s you are in support of and send it via email to the Parish Council Clerk risbyparishcouncil@yahoo.co.uk or by post to: Risby Village Hall, School Road, Risby, IP28 6RT.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ideas
q Community Conversation Bench, East side of village, Location A on Map
q Community Conversation Bench, Lower Green, Location D on Map
q Risby Reading Tree, Location C on Map
q Interactive Wildflower Spiral with wooden artwork logs and signs, Location D on Map
q Plant a Tree for the Jubilee - Apple Trees, Location D on Map
q Plant a Tree for the Jubilee - Guelder Rose Bushes, Location D on Map
q Plant a Tree for the Jubilee - Flowering Cherry Trees, Location C on Map
q Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Flower border, Location D on Map