The Great British Summer of 2012

The promise of summer leaves most people ecstatic.; excited about the prospect of longer days, enjoying a pint after work outdoors and baring enough skin to get even a smidge of colour.

As an Australian, I usually take summer for granted. This summer however, I’m relishing any warmth that comes my way. Not only have I not seen summer since last January (I guess that’s what you get when you move continents!) but I can feel the excitement of the Jubilee and the buzz of the Olympics upon us.  It’s no surprise London has been voted by Lonely Planet as the top city to live in in 2012, and by TripAdvisor as the best city in the world to visit (see Telegraph article).

The ‘Great British summer of 2012’ is monumental.  Here at Flagship we also have a flurry of client celebrations to look forward to:

• City Cruises is a prominent part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant on 3 June with its full fleet of 15 boats taking part in the river procession. In one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the River Thames, City Cruises will be carrying approximately 2,000 passengers on boats that will both be moored and taking part in the historic sail down the Thames.

• Greenwich Park will welcome the Equestrian and Paralympic Equestrian events at the Olympics. The Park will also host parts of the Modern Pentathlon while the North Greenwich Arena (The O2 Arena) will play host to the Basketball finals, Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline Gymnastics and Wheelchair Basketball.  Also, on 21 July 2012, Greenwich will be the first place in London to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay when it begins its journey through the capital. The torch will start its journey at the Meridian Line in the Royal Observatory Greenwich

• Winchester, which claims to be Britain’s most patriotic city, is showcasing why it is the place to be this summer, with its Best of British Festival 2012.  The Festival, which runs from 25 May to 26 July, is headlined by Dame Judi Dench and features more than 40 special events, timed to tie in with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend, as well as the run up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

• Pitchup.com will be participating in the annual summer festivities in its array of holiday parks throughout the UK and Europe. No need to mourn Glastonbury with the vast range of other summer festivals around! Visit www.pitchup.com for more info.

• DLR London is having its 25^th birthday this year! To celebrate it is giving passengers and community members the chance to win one of seven amazing party packs. Visit www.dlr.co.uk/2012 for more info.

So while the world stops and watches London, and the UK as a whole, this June/July/August, why not take a moment to appreciate this fine country. After all, a summer like this one doesn’t occur every year.