If wet we'll turn it into a pew party for the Queen

ALVERSTOKE villagers are invited to come and join the celebrations for the Queen’s 90th birthday at a traditional street party in the village square – outside the fish and chip shop – on Sunday, June 12.

We’ll decorate the square with bunting and balloons, put out tables and chairs around the chestnut tree and provide musical entertainment – we will do all that – you provide your own picnic.

There will be a fancy dress competition for children and a ladies’ hat contest with prizes. The mayor of Gosport will be there as well as our MP Caroline Dinenage.

So come along, invite your family and friends, bring your picnic – ladies wear your hats, children don your fancy dress – and we will celebrate our Queen’s 90th birthday.

It’s all happens between midday and 3pm. There are no tickets and no charge, just turn up on the day. If wet we’ll move the party inside St Mary’s Church and it will then become a ‘pew party’ with the same entertainment and events.

The party on the Queen’s official birthday weekend builds on our celebrations on her actual birthday.

Back in April our team of bell-ringers celebrated her birthday in a centuries-old, truly English fashion – with the ringing of a full peal. This involved an enormous amount of rehearsal and preparation and, on the day, similar amounts of effort and concentration.

In two hours and 50 minutes of continuous ringing they changed the sequence of the bells an amazing 5,024 times, in a pattern called Yorkshire Surprise Major. Change ringing originated in this country, and has spread all over the world.

We are very proud of the team, whose weekly contribution to Sunday worship is greatly valued and we congratulate them on their latest achievement.

The Queen became our oldest monarch in 2007 and in September last year she passed Victoria’s record to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

In 2012 we held a similar street party event in the square for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and a great time was had by all.

If you live in Alverstoke come and join us. We’d love to see you there.