Four Tameside teenagers are making their way to London to perform for the Queen in her Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

This Sunday (June 5) the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant will be the final celebration event taking place across the four-day bank holiday weekend. In September the procession will be re-interpreted and presented in Stalybridge by Global Grooves as part of the Town of Culture celebrations.

Funding from Greater Manchester Arts, supported by Tameside Council, is enabling Mossley-based Global Grooves to take young people from all Greater Manchester boroughs to perform in London and to ensure the whole of Greater Manchester is represented.

Drummers Joseph Horrocks, 14, Alex Stoney-Griffiths, 18, Jacob Gower, 16 and dancer Nicholas Lee, 16, - all from Tameside - will join 200 others from Greater Manchester currently rehearsing for the pageant. The teenagers involved in this spectacular parade will be joining Ed Sheeran, Sir Cliff Richard and Basil Brush who are also featuring in the event.

The teenagers have been intensively rehearsing at the Northern Carnival Arts Centre of Excellence, The Vale, Mossley.

The carnival influenced spectacle, named A Sharing of Gifts will be one of the final events taking place across a four day bank holiday weekend (2-5 June), winding its way through the streets of Westminster and past Buckingham Palace.

The parade will be headed by a chariot carrying the glorious carnival queen, played by drag queen Cheddar Gorgeous. The chariot will be followed by 4 giant walking puppets, 100 young people’s carnival music group, 50 costumed dancers and a wave of giant flag bearers.

The parade will not only be broadcast on global TV and an online audience of hundreds of millions but will also be watched by members of the Royal Family. Their performance in the carnival parade will celebrate Greater Manchester’s cultural diversity and will highlight the cultural exchanges that take place when people collaborate with very different experiences, ideas and ways of living.  

Tameside Council’s Assistant Executive Member with responsibility for Culture Councillor Sangita Patel said: ‘‘Performing for the Royal Family and a global audience at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant is such an exciting opportunity for our young people to showcase their talent. Not only will the Royal Family be able to enjoy their performance but the people of Tameside will too. In September, their part in the procession will be re-interpreted and performed in Stalybridge with volunteering members of the community as part of the Town of Culture celebrations.

‘’Our four Tameside teenagers will be proudly representing us as part of Greater Manchester, putting us on the map. With their intensive training with Global Grooves, they are set to stun the crowds with an original performance.’’

In Stalybridge on 11 September 2022, 200+ community performers from across Tameside will have the opportunity to work with internationally acclaimed Carnival artists to create a unique carnival performance. Global Grooves invites residents of all-levels to form this procession The procession will involve fully costumed percussionists, dancers, brass players and community performers from across Tameside.

For more information on how to get involved and rehearsal dates please visit https://www.globalgrooves.org/get-involved/cotton-carnival