THE first of the celebrations to celebrate the Golden Jubilee took place last Saturday morning. One hundred and five years after Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee took place, after which Jubilee Drive was constructed and named, the Union Jack was raised during a short ceremony, above Jubilee Hill. This peak rising over the village of Malvern Wells and looking down upon the old St Peter's Church was the last remaining unnamed peak of the Malvern Hills range. Jubilee Hill rises just east of the main line of the hills which runs roughly north-south and when viewed from Colwall, in the west, the trees of Thirds Wood obscure the view of the peak.

On Sunday the service of thanksgiving to mark the Golden Jubilee was held at St James Church, Colwall. During the singing of the first hymn symbols of coronation and the local community were carried into church. These were a large Bible, a container of oil and spoon for anointing, a towel and a bowl of water and local community symbols being a copy of Piers Ploughman and some Malvern Water. Members of Churches Together in Colwall were present at this service. The choir sang the anthem O Taste and See by Vaughan Williams as sung at the coronation.

In spite of heavy rain, which later turned into warm sunshine, crowds flocked to the Colwall Jubilee fun day. There were train rides, games, cakes, pig roast, beer tent, ice cream, numerous stalls, Samba band and much more. This was organised by Colwall Rotary and organisations from within the village took part.

The next meeting of the Wyche and Colwall Horticultural Society will take place on June 10 departing at 6pm for a visit to Bob Brown's nursery.