Children, air and sea cadets, venture scouts and soldiers joined the Mayor of St Albans to raise the flag for Commonwealth Day in the city yesterday.

The ceremony marked the run up to Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer and was one of 500 taking place at the same time around the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

The flag was raised on the flagpole above the old Town Hall in St Peter’s Street.

The city’s Mayor Annie Brewster began the ceremony by reading out the specially written Commonwealth Affirmation, which sets out a commitment to uphold the values of the Commonwealth.

She then presented the Commonwealth Flag to representatives from 100 Yeomanry Regiment Royal Artillery, St Albans Sea Cadets, St Albans Air Cadets and St Albans Venture Scouts.

Children from ten district primary and secondary schools also presented miniature flags of the 53 Commonwealth countries.

These schools include:

  • Beaumont
  • Gardenfields JMI
  • How Wood
  • Sandringham
  • St Albans High School for Girls, Wheathampstead
  • St Albans School
  • St Bernadette Catholic Primary School
  • St Columba’s College
  • Townsend Church of England School
  • Watling View.

Each child read out the name of the country whose flag they were holding before planting them in two planters.

The city’s mayor said: "On behalf of St Albans District, we are flying the Commonwealth flag to show our appreciation of the Commonwealth’s values.

"I am very grateful to everyone who helped St Albans play its part in this largest, single raising of the Commonwealth Flag in the history of the Commonwealth. Seeing these 53 flags united together by children from all across our District gives us a sense of the magnitude of the Commonwealth family of nations."