On Saturday, the 6th of May, His Majesty King Charles III was officially crowned as the reigning British Monarch.
Over 2,000 people attended Westminster Abbey, with VIP guests from around the world jetting in to enjoy all the pomp and ceremony you’d expect from such a momentous affair.
Here, at Fulford Nursing Home, our own VIPs (our lovely staff and residents) donned their party hats and celebrated together as the historic moment unfolded on our television screens.
And as King Charles and Queen Camilla (recent visitors to York Minster to hand out Maundy Money) took in the Coronation Concert on Sunday the 7th, we enjoyed tea and cake as part of The Big Lunch.
In this short post, we reflect on the big weekend — and share a few of our favourite Coronation celebration activities.
How we marked the King’s Coronation
We didn’t need a second invitation to break out the bunting. Just as it was during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Fulford was decked out in red, white, and blue.
Our residents (and their families) joined us in the communal areas to watch the ceremony, and we raised a toast to the new King and Queen.
As expected, this was an emotional time for many of our residents, who still hold fond memories of the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
Following the Coronation on Saturday, we took part in the Big Lunch on Sunday, the 7th of May. We hosted a lively afternoon tea for staff and residents, with plenty of fun and games.
Finally, after enjoying sandwiches, scones, cakes and other homemade treats, we watched the Coronation Concert as it was broadcast from Windsor Castle.
All in all, it was a memorable weekend for staff and residents alike.
Our Coronation celebration highlights
The television coverage will live long in the memory, but what made the Coronation truly special was the chance to celebrate together.
And a major part of our weekend’s festivities was the combination of good food and great music:
- A Royal Playlist: You can’t have a party without some tunes, and the official Coronation Celebration Playlist on Spotify had us covered. From Bowie to The Beatles, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport put together some of the nation’s favourite tunes to mark the big occasion.
- A Menu Fit for a King: The grub served during a Coronation can make an indelible mark on the UK’s food scene, as the popularity of coronation chicken proves.
Will we see another Coronation-themed foodstuff become a staple lunchtime option? If you liked the Coronation Quiche recipe as much as we did, the answer could be “Yes!”
And if the quiche wasn’t your thing, don’t worry, there were plenty more official Coronation recipes to try. Ken Hom’s Coronation Roast Rack of Lamb with Asian-style Marinade, Nadiya Hussain’s Coronation Aubergine, and Adam Handling’s Strawberry and Ginger Trifle made for a mouthwatering feast. Get the recipes here.
Were you inspired by The Big Help Out? Let us know!
As the celebratory weekend drew to a close, members of the public were invited to take part in The Big Help Out on Monday, the 8th of May.
This event encouraged people to volunteer and join the work already being done to support their local communities.
Nursing homes up and down the country rely on the generosity of volunteers all year round. If you participated in The Big Help Out, please spare a thought for your local care homes going forward.
If you were inspired to continue volunteering, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact us on 01904 654 269 to find out how you can support Fulford’s staff and residents.