This year marks the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

It is an especially important ocasion since Her Majesty is the first monarch to reach this milestone. In honour of the event, Glastonbury Town Council has agreed that the cause for celebration should be represented in this year's summer bedding displays and hanging baskets in the town.

Seven colours have been selected, all anniversary colours which have been chosen to represent a marriage or significant year of her reign. The colours are as follows:

1st white; 25th Silver; 35th Coral; 40th Ruby; 50th Gold; 55th Emerald; 60th Diamond (white) and 70th Platinum (silver).

The Town Council is encouraging town residents to contribute, either through diplays in their own front gardens (your own colour schemes do not have to follow the Town Council's choice of the colours), or by joining in projects to help to enhance the town's appearance for other residents and our many visitors, e.g. the street litter pricks which happen regularly through-out the year. Other suggestions for ways to help include volunteering to help maintain the floral displays or getting a group of local residents from your street or neighbourhood to enhance or improve a small local area that may have been neglected. Professional advice can be given.

Last year Glastonbury was successful in achieving a Gold awards in the South West in Bloom competition class 'Champion of Champions' and also awarded a trophy for the Best Municipal Display.

The Town Council has already made a start in celebrating the Jubilee. In Mid-December last year, the Mayor, Cllr Jon Cousins planted a ceremonial commemorative tree to mark the Queens Jubilee with the assistance of his Lord Lieutenant of Somerset and also the High Sheriff. A row of oak trees has been planted by the Glastonbury Conservation Group in response to the Queens Green canopy initiative with money left to the group by a former councillor of the Town.

A spokesman for the Town Council said: "Let's all pull together to win another Gold and perhaps a trophy in this year's South West in Bloom competition."I

f you would like to volunteer some of your time to help in this year's event, or would like to request an entry form for this year's Glastonbury in Bloom competition (available from April 25) , please contact the Committee Clerk Sarah Marks on 01458 831769. will be available from April 25.