Familiar faces join jubilee celebrations

SOME famous faces took part in a jubilee celebration at Nettlebed Creamery on bank holiday Thursday.

Actor Jeremy Irons, from Watlington, read a selection of poems to the crowd which had gathered at the cheesemaker off High Street and a performance was given by local singer Rebecca Poole, whose stage name is Purdy.

About 800 people attended a series of jubilee events at the creamery throughout the day.

Children were entertained by Bertie Slippers and enjoyed face-painting and eating hot dogs, which were called “hot corgis” and contained sausages from Blue Tin Produce in Ipsden. The creamery’s signature cheese toasties and jars of Pimm’s were served as the evening progressed and guests gathered inside the main shed for Purdy and her band’s set.

The singer, who grew up on the Joyce Grove estate in Nettlebed, performed a mixture of her own songs as well as some jazz classics.

After her performance, Irons spoke about the importance of coming together and the continuity that the Queen had provided for the country over the last 70 years. He then read a selection of poems, including And Did Those Feet In Ancient Time by William Blake and Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day by William Shakespeare.

Purdy then broke into a rendition of Rule Britannia, with which the crowd joined in, before jumping on to the back of a pick-up truck adorned with Union flags.

The truck then led guests to a field in front of the creamery where at 9.45pm a bonfire was lit to coincide with the beacons being lit around the country.

This was followed by a fireworks display.

Rose Grimond, founder of Nettlebed Creamery, said: “It was a wonderful event and we have received incredible feedback from everyone who attended.

“It is the first time we have had a community party since covid and I think everyone needed something like this so as to come together.

“Purdy’s set was wonderful and Jeremy’s poems brought some gravitas and meaning to the evening.

“It gave a cohesion to the essence and spirit of the jubilee. It was very all very moving.”

• Irons is said to have waived his fee for his appearance, requesting that it be donated to the Ukraine appeal.