Ascension Island all set to mark its Bicentenary

19 October 2015

Press Release

This Thursday, 22 October, Ascension Island will celebrate 200 years of British settlement on the Island.

A weekend of special events is planned to mark the occasion and excitement is building as the date draws close. The bells of St Mary's Church will ring to announce the start of the Bicentenary celebrations and will be followed by a 'Dance the Night Away' event in Georgetown Square.

The British Base Commander, Wing Commander Mark Taylor, explains why it is important for Ascension's Bicentenary to be recognised and celebrated -

"Those of us who live on Ascension today must pay tribute to all our military forebears who worked in extreme conditions from 1815 onwards to establish a fresh water supply, sanitation, military fortifications, housing and healthcare in this isolated and remote environment".

A flag raising ceremony on Friday 23 October will re-create the original raising of the Union Flag by the Navy in 1815 and honour those who first arrived here to establish a British garrison.

Full details of the Bicentenary Weekend programme can be found here.