South Shields care home creates amazing royal carriage from cardboard boxes to mark Queen's Platinum Jubilee

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Garden Hill Care Home in St Michaels, Avenue, South Shields, have been getting prepared for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which are now just weeks away.

Stacey Adam, lifestyle coordinator at Garden Hill, said the team and residents have been ‘super busy’ creating their Platinum Jubilee display.

She said the project has created a royal atmosphere and got residents feeling regal – and they hope everyone loves the display as much as they do.

Garden Hill Care Home resident Peggy Carson tries out the carriage.

The idea was born in the home’s arts and craft club, when members talked about what they would like to do as a display for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, and it took off from there.

Stacey said some residents wanted a carriage, some wanted the Beefeaters and some wanted the Queen’s beloved corgis.

"Ultimately, everything needed to be included and we set about creating the carriage and colouring that in each week in arts and crafts and once the carriage was created we added the rest,” said Stacey.

"Of course, no carriage would be complete without a star of the show and our wonderful Peggy Carson was delighted to try it out.”

Queen Elizabeth II at Paddington station in London, to mark the completion of London's Crossrail project. Picture date: Tuesday May 17, 2022.

She added: “We are all over the moon at how fabulous it turned out from just a few bits of cardboard boxes, some imagination and time during our crafts and Peggy absolutely loved wearing the crown for the picture.

"We think she makes a fabulous Queen for our carriage”.

Events and activities are already underway across South Tyneside and the rest of the UK to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

The official Jubilee weekend takes place between Thursday, June 2, and Sunday, June 5, with the Thursday and Friday designated public holidays.

Street parties, tree planting and a beacon-lighting ceremony are among plans to mark the occasion in South Tyneside.

Schools, community groups and libraries will also be joining in the jubilee celebrations with a range of events, crafts and activities.

During the Platinum Jubilee celebratory weekend, South Tyneside is joining in towns and cities across the country on June 2 to light more than 1,500 beacons – including a special beacon lighting ceremony at the Lawe Top in South Shields.

Local communities will also be encouraged and supported to get involved in ‘Big Lunch’ events in local parks on June 5, or hold their own street parties.