Harlow is celebrating becoming a pensioner!
The town was officially designated as a New Town on March 25 in 1947, and has started a year of celebrations to mark this 65th birthday.
Harlow Council leader Andrew Johnson said: “This is a unique chance to reflect on our history as a planned New Town and relive the pioneer stories of those who imagined the future of Harlow and those who built it by moving here to make a fresh start.
“But the 65th celebrations aren’t just about indulging in nostalgia; they are also a chance for us to showcase what the next 65 years of Harlow will be about.
“It is a town with a name for high tech jobs and innovation, rich in its cultural diversity, vibrancy and community spirit, and supported by a flexible and skilled workforce.”
The celebrations began on March 23 with the unveiling of a giant 65 in the town’s Gibberd Gallery. Members of the public have been invited to post their own birthday messages onto the sculpture.
A family fun day was held in Harlow Town Park on March 25 to mark the birthday. Highlights included donkey rides, a pets’ corner, freebies being handed out, the Sport Relief Mile and more.
A new map has also been published by the council, showing Harlow’s most famous 15 locations – ranging from the site of ancient pottery to a street bench used by Cold War Soviet spies. Residents are being encouraged to walk around the route.
Other events throughout the year will include exhibitions of local history and an online gallery of interviews with the town’s first residents in the early 50s.