Bandstand to be created as part of Royal Borough's For Queen and Community project

A range of events has been announced for Windsor as part of a Royal Borough project to celebrate the town's link to the armed forces and the Queen's long reign.

For Queen and Community is designed to mark Her Majesty hopefully becoming Britain's longest-reigning monarch in September this year, and to recognise the borough's large forces population.

The events will include the design and installation of a replica of the Edwardian bandstand that used to be in Alexandra Gardens, renewed planting around the bandstand and improvements to lighting in the gardens.

There will also be an artist-led activity helping local young people to design six panels around the bandstand to record a notable military event from each of the last six decades, as well as community music and performance workshops to create an event to mark the Queen's milestone.

Today it has been announced the project has been awarded £161,600 through the Armed Forces Community Covenant - funding which is available from the Ministry of Defence for projects which aim to improve links between the forces and the wider community.

The remainder of the £254,600 cost of the project will be provided by the council in part through receipts of developer contributions for heritage and arts projects.

Head of libraries Mark Taylor said: "We are looking forward to being able to implement this project and helping our residents, whether serving soldiers, service families or the general population celebrate and commemorate Her Majesty the Queen becoming the longest reigning monarch later this year, while forging friendships and understanding between the communities in the borough."

Windsor is the home of the Coldstream Guards, based at Victoria Barracks in Sheet Street, and the Household Cavalry, based at Combermere Barracks in St Leonards Road.

The Outdoor Trust is already working on separate plans to create a Queen's Walkway in Windsor to celebrate the monarch's record-breaking reign.