BEATING RETREAT

Erewash residents can turn out in force next month to watch a historic Beating Retreat and Sunset ceremony in Ilkeston Market Place to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The colourful occasion on Tuesday 5th July is a major honour for Erewash Borough Council and is expected to be a popular family event, with hundreds of onlookers having enjoyed previous ceremonies in Long Eaton and Ilkeston – the last one being in 2018. Beating Retreat is a military pageant-style music ceremony performed in some form by most armed forces in the Commonwealth. There will be stalls around the Market Place with representatives of veterans, military and charitable organisations. The programme for the evening celebration is:

Beating Retreat 2018 pic John Shelton

7.15pm – the Derbyshire Army Cadet Band will entertain onlookers in the Market Place.

8.20pm – the main event begins when the Nottinghamshire Band of the Royal Engineers returns to Erewash. The band will begin the parade from the TA Centre on Albert Street and march to the Market Place while performing a popular music programme. The ceremony will end with the traditional beating of the drums at sunset. The Mayor of Erewash, Councillor John Sewell, says: 

“It will be a privilege and honour to see this historic ceremony performed once again in Ilkeston. Beating Retreat will be a wonderful occasion, especially in this Platinum year, and one that will live in our memories forever. We expect large crowds as residents of all ages join us to give a big Erewash salute to this ceremony and our armed forces.”

The Mayor will be joined at the event by the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mrs Elizabeth Fothergill, and the High Sheriff for Derbyshire, Mr Michael Copesake, as well as other civic dignitaries for this landmark event.