Local Community helps to Celebrate Milton Keynes

The Stables took up residency in Middleton Hall at centre:mk from 24-26 February, offering free flag-making and movement workshops in preparation for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London on Sunday 5 June. Over these three days, more than 5,000 people visited the Hall, and both community representatives and Key Workers pledged to carry a flag in the Pageant.

Local flag bearers and dancers will spend the next three months rehearsing for the 5,000-strong Pageant where they will represent Milton Keynes and offer a ‘Thank You’ performance to The Queen.

The feedback from visitors to the free Celebrate Milton Keynes event in Middleton Hall was hugely positive with representatives from community groups including the Milton Keynes Hindu Association, Camphill MK Communities, Keeping Kids Off The Streets, and MK act participating in the activities.

Monica Ferguson, Chief Executive & Artistic Director of The Stables, commented: “We wanted to create a real community event to involve people in the creative process of developing the ‘Thank You Dance’ finale to the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. It was so heart-warming to see families and communities come together to share ideas that can be incorporated into the MK Mandala flag designs. We can’t wait to get rehearsals started and to see the ‘Thank you Dance’ and flags come to life in front of Her Majesty The Queen on such an historic occasion.  Our thanks go to everyone who took part and to centre:mk, Milton Keynes Council and Arts Council England for their support in making it possible.”

Celebrate Milton Keynes was produced by The Stables with IF: Milton Keynes International Festival, Kinetika and Jeanefer Jean-Charles, and is supported by Arts Council England, Milton Keynes Council and centre:mk.