I hope everyone had as enjoyable a weekend as I did celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is our longest serving monarch. It is unlikely that such a milestone will be celebrated ever again.
The warmth and affection for her was very clear and to witness it was incredibly moving.
I attended a good number of events throughout Thurrock and it was great to see so many people enjoying themselves simply by getting together over tea and cake.
Perhaps we all appreciated it more after two years of fighting COVID when our ability to enjoy other people’s company was so restricted. And perhaps that was a reminder that whatever our tribulations our Queen is the one constant, a reassuring presence to remind us that in pulling together we will overcome, and ‘we will meet again’.
I must commend the huge effort made by so many across Thurrock to pull these events together. This has been a huge voluntary effort and we should be thankful to all those who have shown leadership in their communities. I have always believed that local communities can do things better for themselves. We need to do much more to unlock the innovation and creativity that exists in our communities which can so often be suppressed and discouraged by the involvement of the Council and Government.
I hope that the happiness and unity we saw over the four day celebration can be sustained. We are fortunate to live in the best country in the world. It will only remain so if we value it, cherish it and take every opportunity to celebrate it. God save the Queen.