Newton High Street shows its support to the Queen with special tribute on business windows

Following the announcement of Her Majesty’s passing, the High Street Hive, a business-led committee on Newton-le-Willows high street, came together to discuss how they could show their support to the late monarch.

One of the suggestions was decorating their windows with a tribute to the Queen.

Ruth Sanderson, a window artist, took on the role to decorate business windows, drawing 25 crowns in total.

She said: "It was a conversation that started on chat about what should happen to mark respect, and this was an idea that was suggested, and I was just happy to help out.

"It was really the hive as a whole community on the high street who came up with it and then everybody started saying they’d have one to show support and comradery.

"I went out that night and I just thought it was nice for people to wake up and see."

25 crowns were drawn in total (Image: Ruth Sanderson)

Ruth also decorated high street windows for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration in June, however, drawing the displays this time round had a less celebratory feel to it and was done to mark the community’s respect for the Queen.

She added: "The reason I was very happy to go along with the suggestion was that the jubilee was what helped me integrate with the businesses on the hive, so it felt a bit full circle, and this was my way of contributing.

"I think it’s great to show support and the high street all pull together. It’s just really sad and I think it was a really great way of marking a bit of respect.

"Because we’d had such a big celebration for the jubilee on that high street it was like the other side of that. It does help with that community spirit and making the businesses have an emotive side to them as well."