RIP QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Public invited to lay floral tributes at St John’s churchyard in Yeovil

THE Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, laid a bunch of flowers this morning (Friday, September 9, 2022) to begin what is expected to become a sea of floral tributes in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland yesterday (Thursday, September 8, 2022) at the age of 96 after a staggering 70 years on the throne. Her eldest son has now become King Charles III.

An official ten-day period of mourning has started and focus will generally centre on the Royal residences such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral Castle.

But locally Yeovil Town Council has set in place measures to allow people here to pay their respects to the much-loved Queen.

The public are welcome to lay their floral tributes by the yew tree in the churchyard of St John’s Church in the centre of Yeovil. Alternatively flowers can also be left at the Preston Plucknett War Memorial on Preston Road, Yeovil, opposite The Bell pub.

The Mayor has asked that the flowers are unwrapped for environmental reasons and that no other objects – such as cuddly toys – are left.

The council has said it reserves the right to relocate any flowers that are left to other areas in the churchyard or the War Memorial area to try and keep things orderly.

“The floral tributes will be removed the morning after the funeral and will be composted,” said a council statement. “The compost will be used to plant a memorial tree called The Queen’s Tree.”

The Mayor was joined by Deputy Mayor, Cllr Andy Kendall, town clerk Amanda Card, Mayor’s chaplain Rev Jim Pearce, and local police officers on Friday (September 9) morning to lay the first floral tributes.

An emotional Rev Pearce made his own tribute to the Queen and led prayers, while the Mayor expressed her deepest condolences to the Royal Family on the death of the Monarch.

People, meanwhile, are also welcome to attend the Town House in Union Street, Yeovil, in order to offer their condolences by way of an entry in a book of condolence.

The book of condolence will close at the day following the funeral. The book of condolence will be collated and bound and be held in the Council archives. Yeovil Town Council will send a letter to the Private Secretary at Buckingham Palace, advising that the book of condolence is held in the Council archives.

The Town House will be open Monday to Friday between 9am to 4pm.

PHOTOS AND COPYRIGHT: Taken by Yeovil Press editor Steve Sowden on the morning of Friday, September 9, 2022, in St John's Churchyard, Yeovil.

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