Royal Wedding: Party time as Shropshire joins in celebrations – with pictures
It was the wedding of the year – and the sun was shining as Salopians marked the big day in their own way.
From town centre big screens to family barbecues, the marriage of Harry and Meghan has caught the imagination.
And with a day of sunshine and temperatures topping 70F, it is the perfect excuse for a royal-themed party.
Hundreds assembled yesterday outside St Alkmund’s Church in Shrewsbury for an outdoor wedding party, complete with ice cream. And another big screen was up at the town’s Kids Fest in the Quarry, where parents were watching the wedding while their children played.
Schools and nurseries spent yesterday holding street parties of their own, with many replicating today’s royal wedding with children taking the main roles.
They included Grange Primary School in Shrewsbury, where Jay Laight and Ruby Jones became Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and were ‘married’ by a vicar in front of the rest of the school.
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All pupils in the school learned the national anthem before the event so they could sing on the day, along with the choir who had been practicing for weeks.
Teacher Bev Williams said: “We set up a street party and children brought a party item each and they all made hats. We also had a hat competition and the children won commemorative cups as prizes.”
A Royal Wedding Party was taking place at Oldbury Village Hall, near Bridgnorth, yesterday, organised by Kate Preston.
Youngsters at a Shrewsbury nursery couldn’t be happier for Harry and Meghan – especially if it means cakes are on the menu.
They were treated to a traditional English tea party to mark the big day.
Children between the ages of six months and four were told about the happy couple before baking scones at Katie’s Kids Nursery in Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury.
About 20 children enjoyed treats while surrounded by bunting and decorations.
Owner Katie Wellington said the children were asking if Harry and Meghan would be joining their tea party, adding: “They all had a lovely time. We try to mark big occasions like these.”
In Ironbridge, a family butchers’ shop has delivered a pork pie treat directly to the new home of Prince Harry and his bride.
It is the third time that Eley’s of Ironbridge has sent members of the royal family treats to mark a special occasion. The personalised pork pie features the royal couple’s names on top.
Tom Eley, of the Tontine Hill enterprise, which was set up more than 50 years ago, says the shop sent a similar pie when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married in 2011.
“We have hand raised and delivered Prince Harry and Meghan one of our personalised pork pies to celebrate their wedding day, after sending William and Kate one for their wedding. We didn’t want to leave out Harry and Meghan,” said Mr Eley, 20.
Watching the wedding on TV? Telford teenager Ben is there!
While most of us were marking the royal wedding from afar, one lucky teenager was today seeing it for himself.
Ben Barrow was joining in the celebrations with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after being invited to attend.
The 17-year-old was nominated by Telford & Wrekin Council children's team after the couple put a call out for people from all walks of life to share in their big day.
That means that while students young and old from across Shropshire and Mid Wales were having parties here, Ben was preparing to travel to Windsor Castle with his mentor and social worker Patrick Ellis.
Ben was given the chance after impressing his foster family and bosses at the council's Children in Care team with his positive attitude since becoming a looked after young person in December 2015.
Awesome
Ben, a student, said: "This is absolutely awesome. I'm just over the moon with the opportunity.
"I have to thank Telford & Wrekin Council and the children's services bosses for giving me this amazing chance. The first I realised that I was being nominated for a chance to go, when my social worker Patrick told me. After that I got a letter in the post to say that I was the winner. Then the invitation carrying the royal crest arrived."
Rod Grainger, of Telford's leaving care team, says: "Ben is living with a foster carer.
"He has really made an excellent transition both coming into care and has come on leaps and bounds under the guidance of his foster carer, the Children in Care team and the Leaving Care Team. With assistance from his carer he has made fantastic progress and has engaged with a lot of community enterprises. He is a part of the Summer Arts College charity, performs in music productions, he is part of the care council for young people in care, the care leavers' forum and also volunteers at Telford Steam Railway."
Ben was today turning out in his new Prince Charles Check three-piece suit for the eagerly awaited nuptials between the queen's grandson and the American TV star.
