Abbotsbury Jubilee Banners

The 57 banners which have gone up across the main street and other parts of town, were designed and painted by the villagers of Abbotsbury as part of a community art installation, and are now on display until June 25.

The banners, each individually designed and painted by Abbotsbury residents from pre-school age to over 90, are being painted on strong but lightweight 'ripstop' fabric, like the spinnaker sails that marked the route of the Olympic Torch through the village in 2012 and are painted with acrylic paint mixed with a fabric medium.

Sue Melville, who came up with the idea and organised it, said: “This village is incredible; you put an idea out and you just get loads of response, it’s wonderful.

“Once you get the idea started you can’t stop it, it just goes on and everyone mucks in.

“All the designs have brought something to the village, it is amazing to see especially with people walking around looking at the banners."

The banners are placed in the brackets used by Abbotsbury residents for the Christmas trees that brighten the streets of the village every year.

They are each 4ft high by 15" across and will be mounted on sturdy bamboo canes gifted by Abbotsbury's Sub-Tropical Gardens.

Put up over Friday and Saturday they have three themes, the royals, Abbotsbury or mythology.

Sue Melville added: “My design featured a Ukrainian flag, the moons and stars and a blue sky, another was simply a banner saying ER70, and the other one is a set of antlers with a cross across in reference to one of the early kings of Scotland”

“We are keeping our fingers crossed so we don’t get high winds so that they survive.”

“We are very relieved we managed to pull it off and that so many people managed to come together and do this, we wanted to use this to try and get people involved with the jubilee.”

“Thank you to everyone who got involved in getting these banners up and hope everyone enjoys the jubilee celebration.”