You’re likely already aware that the Queen will enjoy her 90th birthday this summer. It’s a significant milestone and celebrations will be taking place across the UK to mark the momentous date. One such initiative is Station to Station, which will happen over the weekend of the 11th and 12th June at railway stations the length and breadth of the UK. The IOEE is supporting this exciting project, which promises to be a colourful celebration of all things royal and all things rail.
As HM Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 90th birthday, railway stations and the communities they serve will be adding a touch of spectacle and fun to proceedings. Station to Station is a joint effort with organisations including Network Rail, train operators, community groups and leading enterprise bodies like the IOEE all playing their part to create events fit for a queen! The idea behind Station to Station is to simultaneously celebrate three quintessentially British things – our monarch, our world-class railways and our close-knit communities. Because the events are so wide-ranging, what you see and do will very much depend on your town’s railway station’s plans and events are likely to have a local flavour. Mad Hatter’s tea parties, face painting, arts and crafts, artisan food markets, Postman Pat parades, picnics, baking competitions, cheerful brass bands and one-off Station to Station bike rides are just some of the plans already in place.
Sarah Trouten, Chief Executive of the IOEE, said:
“We’re delighted and honoured to be involved in this celebration of the Queen’s birthday and all things rail related! We live fast-paced lives today and this important weekend offers the chance to slow down, reconnect with our communities and pay tribute to two of the institutions that put the Great in Great Britain – our railways and our royal family. This event is also fantastic news for SMEs and micro businesses, who should see the celebrations as an opportunity to reach out, make themselves known to new audiences and carve their own community niche.”
As the Queen enters her tenth decade and we enter a new age of rail travel, what better time to bring local communities together to share a few days of relaxation and fun? Historically, our railways have been hubs of activity and enterprise; places where long goodbyes are said, loved ones are reunited and satellite towns and villages are connected to the action of busy cities.
So, grab your Union Jack and your kids, mark the dates in your diary (11th and 12th June 2016!) and don’t miss out when Station to Station comes to town. To find out what’s happening at your local railway station, visit www.queenscelebration.com and get involved!