A special day of celebration to mark the first ever Nottinghamshire Day took place on (Wednesday, 25th August.

Nottinghamshire County Council, using the slogan ‘A county to be proud of’, led a day of themed activities to celebrate the county’s unique identity, rich heritage and local traditions and everything it has to offer.

Communities, businesses, well-known institutions, tourist attractions and iconic sporting clubs and venues came together to celebrate the inaugural Nottinghamshire Day – which will become a highlight of the county’s calendar for many years to come.

The centrepiece of the celebrations featured a symbolic flag-raising ceremony at County Hall, which was attended by more than 50 dignitaries.

County council chairman Coun Mike Quigley led the commemorations by raising the county’s distinctive green, red and white Robin Hood flag at 11.30am.

He was joined at the showpiece event by the Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir John Peace.

Other guests included the Sheriff of Nottingham, Council Merlita Bryan, Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Caroline Henry, and Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, as well as several of the county’s MPs and representatives from the district and borough councils.

Council Quigley said: “The inaugural Nottinghamshire Day provides us with a fantastic opportunity to celebrate everything that is great about our historic county, from our unique association with Robin Hood to our industrial heritage, from our sporting excellence to our wonderful tourist attractions which are known worldwide.

“I am extremely proud to mark the day by raising the flag of Nottinghamshire at County Hall and I would encourage local people to get out and about to explore and celebrate what our fantastic county has to offer, not only on our special day itself but for the weeks, months and years to follow.

“We are rightly proud of our heritage and Nottinghamshire Day is another milestone in our county’s rich history.”

County council leader Ben Bradley MP said he was delighted Nottinghamshire now had an adopted day to celebrate all that is good about our county.

He said: “Many other counties have a celebratory day where they raise and promote their assets and we have plenty of those to promote.

“It is only right that we should be proud of our unique history and this is a date which can now be put in our diaries to celebrate in future years on a much broader and grander scale.”

Nottinghamshire Day also marks the day in 1642 when King Charles I raised his Standard on what is now Standard Hill in Nottingham at the start of the English Civil War – just three days after a similar attempt failed to secure enough support.

Sir John Peace, Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, added: “Nottinghamshire Day not only presents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our county and all it has to offer, but also acts as a catalyst to develop our understanding of the history and traditions of the places where we live, work and enjoy our leisure time.

“It is also an opportunity to promote Nottinghamshire and its historic attractions, including Nottingham and Newark castles, Southwell Minster, Rufford Abbey, Sherwood Forest and Clumber Park, to name but a few.

“As Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, I attend many civic, voluntary and social events in recognition of the fantastic people who are proud to call Nottinghamshire their home.

“I am proud of the achievements of our county and am honoured to be part of the celebrations to mark the inaugural Nottinghamshire Day.”

Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Member of Parliament for Newark, championed the idea of having a County Day.

He said: “I am a big supporter of historic county days and see them as a great opportunity to celebrate the traditions that bind our communities together and instil pride in the places we live.

“The Government attaches great importance to the history and traditions of this country.

“Our history helps to define who we are and where we come from, and we are stronger as a nation when we cherish and champion our local traditions.

“Pride in local history and traditions provides a strong foundation to make our rich past contribute to a bright future.

“I encourage everybody to take the opportunity to celebrate our wonderful county and look forward to learning more of the stories that make this such a wonderful place.”

Borough and district councils were at the forefront of the celebrations by flying the county flag at premises and buildings countywide, while members of the public were encouraged to play their part on social media by sharing videos and images to highlight what they love about Nottinghamshire by using the #NottsDay hashtag.

The Government also flew the Nottinghamshire flag outside the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and at Parliament.

Comments