Gareth Southgate among those calling for Platinum Jubilee parties
Gareth Southgate, Ross Kemp and Lorraine Kelly are among the stars urging the public to take part in the UK's biggest-ever thank you party as part of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
National Thank You Day will take place on 5 June and organisers are hoping to break a British record by getting more than 10 million people to join in with the celebrations as a thank you to both the 95-year-old monarch and to each other by getting together with neighbours for a Big Jubilee Lunch.
Businesses including the NHS, National Lottery Community Fund, the FA, the Scouts, the Church of England and the Royal Voluntary Service are backing the initiative, while a host of famous faces - also including Gary Lineker, Levi Roots, Dame Prue Leith and Alan Titchmarsh - have urged the public to "put the date in your diary" in a new short film.
Launching the plans, former 'EastEnders' star Ross said: “Sunday 5th June is the culmination of The Queen’s 70th Jubilee Celebrations. Let’s celebrate by making it the biggest Thank You Party this country has ever seen.
“It’s our chance to say a great big thank you to The Queen for 70 years of service, but also to each other - the people in our own lives - families, streets and communities, who we rely on every day. The people whose support we couldn’t do without.
“On Thank You Day we hope millions of us will get together as neighbours and communities, to celebrate together whether that’s through a Big Jubilee Lunch street party, or any other way you can think of to mark the day.
“Make sure everyone is invited - rope in the neighbours, ask people from the next street over, get the local band to play. Let’s make this a truly great day, with the biggest party ever, to say the biggest thank you ever!
“So put the date in your diaries now – and get planning for the biggest party this country has ever seen.”
Peter Stewart, Executive Director of the Eden Project and The Big Jubilee Lunch added: “There are more reasons than ever to get together this year and we’re really excited to be bringing the spirit of the Jubilee into every neighbourhood with The Big Jubilee Lunch this June.
"It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring people together and to say thank you to our neighbours and communities after all we have been through over the past two years."
