The Royal Hospital School (RHS) in Holbrook, Ipswich is delighted to be partnering with the Festival of Suffolk to host its own Festival of the Sea.
The Countess of Euston, HM Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, invited the school to host the event due to its Naval heritage and close links to the Royal Navy. The RHS Festival of the Sea, which forms part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, will take place at RHS on 11 and 12 June and will include a range of nautical activities. Please note that the Suffolk Festival of the Sea will take place on the following weekend.
Saturday 11 June
The RHS event will kick off at 1 pm (drawing to a close at 5pm) with a wonderful afternoon packed full of celebrations for all the family to enjoy. Refreshments will be available and guests are welcome to bring rugs and picnic in the grounds. Highlights of the afternoon will include the Royal Navy Parachute and Royal Marines display teams – a rare opportunity to witness the skills of these highly trained professionals.
All events are open to public, but some require ticketing, so do check on the website .
Visitors will have the chance to:
- Be awed by the Royal Navy Parachute display team
- Appreciate the amazing abilities of the Royal Marines display team
- Meet the Royal Navy 815 Squadron and even sit in their helicopters
- Chat to the Holbrook Coastguard Rescue Service
- Watch the magnificent RHS Marching Band and the Corps of Drums
- Hear the Motley Crew sing sea shanties and songs of the sea
- Learn more about HMS Ganges Museum
- Admire the RHS Field Gun Team in action
- Find out how the RNLI Harwich team operate
- Discover what is involved in a career in the Navy
- Cheer on the teams at the sailing regatta as the Royal Navy takes on RHS
- Appreciate the displays and activities of the local Sea Cadet units and the Clacton Sea Cadet Band
At 6.45pm, the RHS Corps of Drums will perform a Sunset Ceremony prior to a Nautical Ball (tickets for the ball must be pre-booked and paid for in advance).
Sunday 12 June
‘Musical Picnic in the Park’, which will begin at 3pm, is an opportunity to spend a relaxing afternoon with a picnic while listening to the highly talented musicians from The Royal Marines School of Music and The Royal Hospital School Band who will perform a joint concert. Although free, it will be necessary to book this event in advance.
Closing the Festival of the Sea at 5pm will be a Jubilee Thanksgiving Service, hosted by the Royal Hospital School and run in partnership with The Royal Marines School of Music Band, The Holbrook Choral Society and local churches and parishes.
This special service will feature music performed at the 1953 Coronation including Parry’s iconic anthem ‘I was Glad’, Handel’s ‘Zadok The Priest’ and William Walton’s ‘Coronation Te Deum’. The service will take place in the magnificent chapel at The Royal Hospital School. This service will be free but tickets should be booked in advance.
For more information and to book tickets: https://www.royalhospitalschool.org/fos
