LL News Blog

It is with enormous sorrow that I have learnt of Her Majesty’s death. We all have a great sense of loss and of the passing of an era.

For the vast majority of us Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second has been our monarch for our entire lives.

Queen Elizabeth ‘s reign has been one that included enormous social and technological change. Her Majesty’s image has been as familiar to us as that of our nearest relatives and friends. We have held her dear. Our sense of national identity was intimately bound to Her Majesty’s continuing presence as our Head of State. The Queen’s constancy and longevity in the face of such immense transformations have given us all a sense of security and nationhood through a period of time when such a sense was as potentially problematic as it was necessary.

We all remember Her life, lived in the public eye, with enormous respect and affection. Her Majesty provided an exemplar of public service, putting the needs of the majority and the country before Herself. The Queen’s example of service and duty  has focussed the public mind on needs and achievements beyond the immediate and the political sphere. Her Majesty’s life will for ever be recorded in history. Her reign being the longest of any British monarch. We all give profound thanks for a long life well lived. We remember Her life with immense gratitude.

Sarah Furness

Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland

3rd September: Today is Merchant Navy Day, celebrated in Rutland at with a ceremony raising ‘The Red Duster’ at Oakham Castle. Rutland remembers the Merchant Navy’s service & sacrifice in the past & present. Without the Merchant Navy carrying supplies, both world wars would have been lost. There are still many dangers. Most of our imports & 25% of fuel is carried by Merchant Navy today.

August 31st: A great way to remember the late Air Vice Marshal Nigel Sudborough, past chair of Rutland’s British Legion, with a generous cheque for ⁦the Cottesmore Academy within Kendrew Barracks. ⁩ Thanks to all. A pleasure to join such enthusiastic children on the first day of term.

August 27th: Some wonderful talent evident in ⁦ the Arts for Rutland⁩ exhibition ⁦at Rutland Museum⁩. I was delighted to award the prizes but very glad I did not have to do the judging!

August 15th – A great visit to the ⁦Leicestershire, Northampton and Rutland Army Cadet Force⁩ camp at Longmoor Training Camp. Congratulations to all for coping with the heat & paint balling, field crafting, building rafts, kayaking & loads more! Thanks for my first paint ball experience. (See the video – I was told to empty the magazine, honest!). The Cadet Association offers young people marketable skills.

6th August. Celebrating the 4th birthday of ⁦the Oakham Armed Forces Veteran’s Breakfast Club⁩ today ⁦at The Grainy⁩! Thanks to the Grainstore for all their support – & fabulous breakfasts! Thanks to founders Mark & Tracey Taylor. Great to be joined by ⁦Rutland’s High Sheriff⁩ and independent town crier Adam Lowe. Plus, of course, over 100 veterans!

4th August. On 19th of July, as a result of the prolonged dry weather, our fire services had their busiest day since WW2. I was so pleased to meet the chief & crews of Oakham & Uppingham to thank them for all their service & learn more about their work.

July 27th. Celebrating Talavera day with 2 Royal Anglians at Kendrew barracks. Congratulations to all, especially those who received Jubilee medals. Thanks to all.

Talavera parade and QPJMs presented by; former Cottesmore Station Commander, Col (retd) Richard Chesterfield, Col (retd) Robert Blomfield, Northamptonshire County Colonel, former CSM C ‘Northamptonshire’ Coy, Mr. Richard York and @RutlandLL#Talavera #QPJM #RoyalAnglian #Infantry pic.twitter.com/9FSgokNWZG

— The Royal Anglian Regiment (@RAnglians) July 28, 2022

July 10th : A beautiful service of celebration today at All Saints Church followed by the Party in the Park, a special event celebrating Rutland’s Armed Forces, veterans, emergency services and volunteers with money raised for local and National Charities. A parade from the church to the park was led by the fifes and drums of our local regiment, the 2nd Royal Anglians:

During the subsequent ‘Party in the Park’ at Cutts Close, Oakham, the free entertainment included the fantastic ‘Bluebird Belles’:

Fantastic fun in #Oakham at the Party in the Park @bluebirdbelles had people of all ages up & dancing! pic.twitter.com/7imWZTJoys

— RutlandLordLieutenant (@RutlandLL) July 11, 2022

The Bluebird Belles got all ages up and dancing- even including some of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch, all of them military veterans, who had earlier joined the parade from Oakham Church riding their splendid machines.

Here they are with the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, raising a toast to Her Majesty the Queen.

8th & 9th July; Two delightful concerts organised in Rutland by Arts for the Heart of England. First, Sound the Trumpet at All Saints Church, Oakham featured the virtuosity of trumpeter Crispsin Steele Perkins & organist David Hill, along with a fascinating historical demonstration of the development of the trumpet:

Sound the #Trumpet a delightful #concert by #artsfortheheartofEngland at All Saints#Oakham featured the virtuosity of trumpeter Crispsin Steele Perkins & o#organist David Hiill pic.twitter.com/UQENNmzpDh

— RutlandLordLieutenant (@RutlandLL) July 9, 2022

Then on 9th July we had a phenomenal choral concert in the historic church of St Peter & St Paul at Exton:

Rutland’s diversity was well illustrated by the simultaneous and adjacent ‘Extonbury’ open-air rock concert. A very different musical event! But thanks to the acoustics of our ancient churches we didn’t disturb each other at all.