Family fun and jubilee celebrations as ‘Red Bus Day’ returns to Greasley

Visitors could hop on and off the red bus to travel around Greasley parish for the day.

The Greasley Gathering, which was cancelled two years’ running due to Covid restrictions, finally made its long-awaited comeback last Sunday (June 5).

The popular event started in 2012 with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – a celebration run by Greasley Parish Council.

Following on from its success, a committee was set up to run the family fun day every year and it was renamed the Greasley Gathering.

Children were left spellbound by magician Matthew Ramsell.

However, it is now more popularly known as ‘Red Bus Day’, due to the hiring of two London buses that visitors can hop on to explore the local area for one day only.

Organiser Rita Pickering said: “It might have been dull, cloudy and cold, with periods of rain, but the hardy public braved it all and came to enjoy the gathering in their hundreds."

The two red buses ferried people all around the parish of Greasley throughout the day on a hop-on and hop-off basis.

“Again the rain did not stop people waiting for the bus,” Rita added.

Along with the bus, the main attractions included a fair, inflatables, climbing wall, circus workshop, live music and magician at the Greasley Sports and Community Centre.

‘Rocks and Frocks’ provided live entertainment, along with the PulpFriction choir.

Visitors could also try their hand at archery and watch a boxing demonstration.

Food and refreshments were available throughout the day, along with a number of other stalls to browse.

A model of the Queen did many walkabouts and posed for selfies throughout the day.

Children could also interact with Stormtroopers and other characters from Star Wars at the event.

Rita said: “The band had people rocking, rolling and jiving. And the Star Wars characters had to have a dance too – joined at one point by a very young dancer who really entertained everyone by dancing with the Stormtroopers.

“The Guardian Angel Bird Sanctuary also brought an owl which had been injured and was in recovery, giving everyone a really close-up look into its starry eyes.

“Altogether, the Greasley Gathering provided a great Platinum Jubilee celebration day out for the whole family.”