The Coronation of King Charles III

Plans for the Coronation weekend were announced by The Palace on 21st January and the outline detail for the weekend is: 

Saturday 6 May: Is the Coronation service in Westminster Abbey, the coronation procession and presentation on Buckingham Palace balcony. This will, of course, be the centrepiece of the weekend. 

Sunday 7 May: A concert and lightshow at Windsor Castle. This is being organised by the BBC and they will be running a ballot to give several thousand pairs of tickets to members of the public. 

Also on Sunday will be the opportunity for Coronation Big Lunch street parties. 

In a nationwide act of celebration and friendship, communities are invited to share lunch together in streets, parks, gardens and community spaces to mark the historic occasion of the Coronation. The Big Lunch team, supported by the Eden Project, will provide downloadable resources via www.coronationBigLunch.com  for those wishing to plan a Big Lunch event.  

It is useful to note that our local authorities in Somerset have information available to support local residents who want to organise events for their neighbours.  

Monday 8 May: Is an extra bank holiday, designated as ‘The Big Help Out’ encouraging people to get involved in local volunteering.  

The aim is to highlight the positive impact that volunteering has on communities across the United Kingdom. Recalling His Majesty’s lifelong dedication to public service, supported by The Queen Consort and other Members of The Royal Family, it is hoped the initiative will bring communities together in volunteering initiatives and create a lasting legacy from the Coronation weekend. 

In respect of resources, please contact your local authority for advice on Street Parties, road closures and licensing etc and look at www.royal.uk for any updates or further information. 

The National Lottery Community Fund is also supporting communities across the UK to come together to mark the Coronation. Funding of up to £10,000 is available for Coronation related events and activities via the National Lottery Awards for All programme.  

The programme does not have a deadline but please bear in mind it can take up to twelve weeks from the date of application submission for successful groups to receive funding. In other words, applications for events around the Coronation weekend would need to be made in the next few weeks. The funding criteria terms and conditions can be found at www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/under1Ok   

Following tradition for major national Royal events, there will soon be the launch of an official Coronation Emblem. The Emblem will be available free of charge for use by communities, businesses and other organisations or individuals who wish to use it for Coronation-related events and materials.