A TRUE community day to remember is being planned to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in Tavistock this June.

'Something for everyone' is the aim of the organising committee, which comprises representatives from organisations including Tavistock Lions, the BID, the youth café, chamber of commerce, West Devon Borough Council and the town council .

A host of activities will be going on in the town centre and the Meadows, guaranteed to please everyone from toddlers through to senior citizens.

James Clapp, the council's works administrator, said: 'We want to make it one big celebration, in the real sense of the word.

'As soon as you enter Tavistock, you will see things going on in the Meadows, and we want to link it in with the town centre where the garden festival will be going on in the pannier market and Bedford Square along with a myriad of activities being planned by the BID and the chamber of commerce'

The festivities will be spread over Sunday and Monday, June 3 and 4.

A beer and cider festival will be staged in the Meadows, run by Tavistock Lions Club — a bar will be run by town hall staff, offering a variety of other beverages, locally produced food will also be available.

There will be lots of other entertainment — provisional plans have been made for a big screen showing films and hopefully live coverage of events around the country. It is hoped to provide a showcase for local food produce and a section with a 'school fete' feeling, with a variety of different stalls and activities

James said: 'There will be a very broad range of things going on, from midday until about 11pm which will hopefully cater for all members of the community.

'The Sunday will be very much like a big family picnic in the park event.'

A list of bands and performers is being lined up to entertain the crowds, to be announced shortly.

On Monday, between 10pm and 10.30pm on Whitchurch Down, a beacon will be lit to celebrate the jubilee, one of 2,600 similar ones being lit up and down the country, to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 60-year reign.

Deputy town mayor Anne Johnson, who is part of the organising committee, said: 'This will be a once in a lifetime  opportunity to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

'The town council is pleased to be working together with community organisations to provide a diverse range of events — I am confident there will be something to suit everyone over the two days of celebrations.'

Tavistock BID say they would like to see the centre of the town a blaze of red, white and blue to celebrate the Jubilee, the Olympics and Paralympics.

It is contributing £10 towards the cost of each window box or hanging basket planted in the Union flag colours and placed by BID levy payers on the street frontage this year.

There will be competitions to spot the odd thing out in shop window displays, best window displays and best floral arrangements and street entertainers dotted through the town centre on Saturday June 2.

In preparation for this BID will soon be running a training session on window displays and merchandising.

BID manager Chris Penberthy said: 'With the town council's help we aim to make the town look as attractive as possible.

'We want to encourage people to walk around the town and to shop. We are going for quite a traditional approach with the entertainment, displays, bunting and colours. Something that is very in keeping with Tavistock.

'We are getting some really positive feedback from the BID members. I'm not sure how many shops will be opening but there will be lots going on over the bank holiday period to attract people here so we hope that it will boost trade for businesses, which is our aim.'