Lichfield prepares to mark Queen's jubilee with multiple events

Starting off the celebrations over the bank holiday will be a special event to light the Platinum Jubilee Beacon outside Lichfield Cathedral, alongside more than 1,500 other locations across the UK and Commonwealth.

The event at Lichfield Cathedral will see the stunning mediaeval cathedral illuminated in red, white and blue.

Bells will be rung to start the proceedings at 9.30pm outside Lichfield Cathedral followed by an official announcement from the Town Crier.

A performance will follow by Lichfield Cathedral Jubilee Choir of the Song of the Commonwealth, written and composed by Lucy Keily from Australia and Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu from Nigeria.

A piper will play Diu Regnare, a unique tune written for the occasion by Piper Major, Stuart Liddell, and a bugler will announce the lighting of the beacon with a special bugle call entitled Majesty.

Refreshments will be available from a kiosk outside the cathedral on the evening.

Lichfield Cathedral will be open to visitors on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am and 5pm, and Sunday, noon till 5pm.

For details of opening, available tours and services visit www.lichfield-cathedral.org.

Finishing off the weekend of celebrations will be a special Choral Eucharist on Sunday, June 5 at 10.30am in Lichfield Cathedral.

Lichfield Cathedral is also working with Lichfield Foodbank to call for special donations of food to families in need.

Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield, said: "On this joyous occasion, as we all celebrate in our own ways, it should be at the forefront of minds that there are thousands of households in the UK who are struggling to put food on the table

A donation point is available at Lichfield Cathedral every day, however a dedicated Big Jubilee Lunch donation area will in place until June 3 in the North Transept.

Lichfield Foodbank is appealing for tinned meat, long-life milk, long-life fruit juice breakfast cereals, tinned vegetable,tinned custard and tinned fruit.