“Windsor & Eton Facelift 2022: Making Windsor and Eton as Beautiful as they can be for the Jubilee!!”

Next year, 2022, will mark the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To support this unique and momentous historic event, The Windsor and Eton Society will be promoting a special opportunity for Businesses, residents and community organisations. Launching on 13^th September at the Castle Hotel, Windsor High Street, the “Windsor & Eton Facelift 2022”, an initiative of The Windsor and Eton Society, is being undertaken with the Windsor & Eton Town Partnership and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, working in conjunction with the main Committee coordinating the Windsor and Eton Jubilee Celebrations. Our aim is to have our two towns looking their sparkling best in time for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, and everyone’s help will be needed!

“Facelift 2022” takes its inspiration from an idea conceived in the 1950s by the then Civic Trust (now Civic Voice) to re-examine and re-think British town and city centres following the ravages of the Second World War a decade earlier, believing that well-considered external improvements to buildings and public spaces – often on a very modest scale – result in a sense of visual unity and harmony which would, in turn, raise civic pride and improve local trade.

Windsor’s first “Facelift” (“Windsor Street Improvement Scheme”) took place in 1961 and included permission from Her Majesty The Queen to remove Windsor Castle’s moat wall and reveal the striking greensward in the town centre. In addition, the “WSIS” featured a wide range of often small but noticeable improvements and was inaugurated by Her Majesty in the presence of hundreds of local residents, Mayors and civic representatives from around the country, such was the importance of the project.

There have been eight Facelifts to date, the most recent one in 2012 focusing on celebrations of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Installation of floral displays has always formed a key part of such activities as well as cleaning and repainting building façades when possible, together with other improvements such as clearing away unsightly wires, cables and unnecessary signage and making minor repairs to stonework and joinery. 

Restrictions as a result of the pandemic have hit the towns’ residents and Businesses hard, and funds are in short supply. We have set our aims accordingly, and from the spring of next year we will be seeking support from Businesses and residents for a general “Clear, Clean and Tidy-up” for a co-ordinated effort to beautify our towns – such as newly planted public spaces and garden areas and buildings tidied and adorned with flower baskets and planters. It is our way of saying “Thank you!” to The Queen for her life of service to her people, and we are immensely proud and privileged that she considers this her home.

We hope Businesses and residents will be persuaded to consider mounting a hanging basket or creating a display of flowers in purple and white – the Jubilee’s official colours.  Help will be provided by the “Facelift 2022” team and volunteers, and advice on alterations or repainting of town centre buildings will be available from the RBWM Conservation Team.  Whilst the official “Facelift 2022” will apply particularly to the two town centres, other areas throughout both towns are encouraged to be part of this community effort.  We hope as many people as possible will join us in making our towns cleaner and brighter for the Platinum Jubilee – places to be truly proud of in 2022!

CONTACT:  Susy Shearer (shearersj@btinternet.com), on behalf of W&E Facelift 2022 Steering Committee