Platinum Jubilee bunting trail created in Whitley Bay and Cullercoats

A group of Whitley Bay locals have come together in Platinum Jubilee fashion to create the Jubilee bunting trail.

Back in February Kim Suleman from Cullercoats Women’s Institute teamed up with Keeley Lawrence from the Whitley Bay branch of Newcastle Building Society as they wanted to create something to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

They then came up with the idea of bunting to decorate areas of Whitley Bay and they got in contact with a few other local businesses in the area and created a team to building the project.

They were joined by Tyneside Learning Trust, Canny Clever IT and Reverend John from St Paul’s Church in Whitley Bay and came up with the idea for the bunting to be made by people across the community.

Keeley Lawrence said they wanted to do the project within the local community: “We wanted to do it with a community vibe. We were all old enough to remember the Silver Jubilee… and that community spirit of the streets getting together and partying but how could we bring that alive for 2022?”

Bunting was originally distributed to schools and local care homes for adults and children to decorate; but word got out about the bunting project and community groups from across Whitley Bay and Cullercoats wanted to be involved.

Soon the project had over 30 different community groups, schools and care homes involved in creating the bunting.

They then found that the project was growing with nearly 4,000 decorated flags ready to be created into bunting. The small project then turned into the Jubilee Bunting Trail across Whitley Bay and Cullercoats.

Anyone can follow the map that includes just some of the bunting that is on show across Whitley Bay and Cullercoats throughout June and some local businesses have included prizes for those that complete the trail.

Those that helped decorate the bunting triangles were given complete creative freedom and Kim Suleman said they wanted each triangle to be unique: “We decided not to be descriptive at all and we had tiny little children and then I understand the oldest person involved was just shy of 100.

“We allowed them to throw paint at it, glitter at it, sequins, foam shapes… we have some really ornate ones.”

To help fund the huge project local businesses were approached to sponsor the bunting which allowed them to pay for fabric and recieve some bunting to display in their window.

The team thought they would have around 10 businesses involved but the numbers just keep growing.

Canny Clever IT and Rustic Cup have already seen more people coming through their door to see the bunting but to also look around their local business.

Lee Coates, one of the owners of Rustic Cup, said that people were interested in the bunting before he even put it up: “Even when I was putting them up people were stopping and commenting and asking me what it was all about.

“We’ve had customers sitting in the window having a look.. and they have been asking for maps to get involved, to get the grandchildren involved. It’s been a nice conversation.”