Wem all set to mark Queen's 90th birthday

Wem Town Council and Wem Parish Council, together with a number of local organisations, have formed a committee to discuss the arrangements for the royal birthday.

They are organising an event which will be held at Wem Recreation Ground on the afternoon of Sunday, June 12.

Although the Queen's birthday is actually in April, the big weekend of commemorations marking her 90 years will take place in June.

Wem town councillor Rosemary Dodd said: "There will be a thanksgiving service at 11.15am at St Peter and St Paul Parish Church in High Street.

"This will be followed by a 'picnic in the park' at the recreation ground."

Elsewhere in Shropshire, beacons are planned to be lit in The Square in Shrewsbury and Southwater Square in Telford on April 21. Shropshire's service of thanksgiving for the Queen's birthday and life of service will be on June 5. It will be at Shrewsbury Abbey, led by the Rev Paul Firmin.

On June 10, the Queen and members of the royal family will be at St Paul's Cathedral for a thanksgiving service.

The following day London will host the Trooping of the Colour.

There will also be pageant in May at Windsor Castle.

The show, which runs over four nights, will feature 1,500 performers and 900 horses and will tell the story of the Queen's life – from her birth, through World War Two and the Coronation and a reign which already spans more than 60 years.

For more information or to help with Wem's celebrations, email info@wem.gov.uk or clerk@wemrural-pc.gov.uk