A COMMEMORATIVE bowl plate donated to the county to mark the celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday has begun a special Worcestershire tour.
Last June saw Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrate reaching her 90th birthday, and the county celebrated with a variety of commemorative events including a colourful flotilla along the River Severn.
In honour of the occasion, Chamberlain and Co, makers of luxury fine bone china based in Malvern, were given the commission to create a spectacular piece.
What the firm's experts made was a fine bone china Elmley Bowl, more than a foot in diameter, decorated with a hand-painted central image of the iconic Worcester Cathedral, chosen for being a symbol of the city.
The border of the bowl is taken from the firm's classic George III collection, with a suitably royal design in cobalt blue and 22 carat gold, featuring three unique vignettes celebrating Worcestershire’s rich history and heritage - Broadway Tower, the Edgar Tower in the Cathedral Precinct, and the coat of arms of the City of Worcester.
The bowl has previously been presented to the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Holcroft, The Queen’s personal representative in the county, by Colin Kinnear OBE, chairman of Chamberlain and Co.
And now Worcestershire residents are being given the chance to view it, as it begins a tour of Worcestershire.
First stop will be Worcester's The Hive library, where it has gone on display until around the end of March.
There are then plans for it to go on show at the Cathedral, the Guildhall, and County Hall.
The Lt Col Holcroft said: "I was very grateful to receive this donation on behalf of the county and hope as many people as possible come and view it, and appreciate the wonderful work."
David Leader, from Chamberlain's, said: "We offered the breath-taking bowl to the Lt Col Patrick Holcroft, who kindly accepted it on behalf of the county.
"It is a special gift to celebrate the Queen's 90th."
Laura Worsford, business development manager for The Hive, added: "It is a unique gift.
"It is also part of a celebration to mark the fifth anniversary since The Queen officially opened The Hive."