Okehampton Town Council has applied for funding which will go towards the cost of celebrations for the Queen’s platinum jubilee in June this year.

To help cover the costs of equipment needed for the proposed holiday activities, the town council has submitted an application to Arts Council England, which has made £5 million available to communities across the country to help fund jubilee celebrations.

Each grant applicant could receive anywhere between £750-£10,000 in funding and Okehampton Town Council hopes that, if successful, the money will pay for equipment needed for the long weekend celebrations.

Okehampton town councillor Christine Marsh said: ’It’s something exciting and positive to look forward to and we need it. The Queen is respected by everyone around the world. All her life is public so I just hope that the weather is good for her and it goes well. It’s a great achievement.’

Hopes are that the town council will receive enough money for a large TV screen which will livestream the lighting of the beacon in the Okehampton Hamlets parish on the Thursday (June 2) for those unable to attend the live event.

The town council, along with the Okehampton Community Recreation Association (OCRA), is also organising two other events.

OCRA has agreed to open the pavilion doors to all residents on the Friday (June 3) where it will stream the official jubilee ceremony on the big screen for everyone to see and provide cake and refreshments.

OCRA and the town council also have a picnic and family fun day day planned in Simmons Park with cream teas, cakes and memorabilia on sale. It is also planned that a blessing of the oak tree will be done at this time in honour of Her Majesty.

The Courtenay Players, Wren Music and the Footsteps School of Dance will perform especially for the jubilee and commemorative memorabilia will be available to buy over the weekend.

The Okehampton Rotary Club has agreed to postpone its traditional May Fair which will instead take place on Sunday, June 5 to coincide with jubilee celebrations.

Rotary Club chairman Paul Vachon, said: ’This year is the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee so what we are trying to do is recreate a street party but in the park.

’We normally get about 2,000people [coming to the May Fair] but this year we might have a few more now that we have the train so we thought about getting [people] from further afield.’

As usual, the club’s fair will include duck races on the river, entertainers, a variety of stalls, music and dance and food and drink.

In keeping with the jubilee theme, the club has discussed putting a special platinum duck on offer, though Mr Vachon admitted that it is as yet uncertain what form this might take.

As the weekend’s events will mostly be outside, organisers have not put in place mandatory covid restrictions but Cllr Marsh has emphasised that anyone who is concerned may wear a mask or put any personal safety precautions in place that they wish.

This year marks the 70th year of the Queen’s reign. She became Queen in February 1952 on the death of her father George VI and was crowned in 1953

The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne and in honour of the achievement, a four-day-long weekend was announced so that the country could hold celebrations including parties, pageants, competitions and parades.