Platinum Jubilee: Gillingham man to visit Medway Towns with giant Union Jack flag attached to car
19:35, 03 June 2022
updated: 19:36, 03 June 2022
A man will be visiting towns this Platinum Jubilee weekend with an enormous Union Jack sticking out of his car.
Gillingham-based Samuel Carthew, 35, says it will be the "biggest in Medway" and looks like a billboard coming round the corner.
It measures 5m by 6m and will be put on a 20ft - and will stick out of the convertible roof of his Suzuki Vitara.
"We had some very nice ladies from the sewing shop in Rochester put together the sheets for us," he said.
"We have masked it all up, and me and the kids have painted it. It looks brilliant."
Mr Carthew previously paraded a St George's flag during the Euros last year when England reached the final against Italy.
And he is set to visit car parks and pubs across Medway this weekend as the nation celebrate The Queen's 70-year reign.
"I have just finished painting it and it is spread out in the garden at the moment," he added.
"Tomorrow and Sunday I’ll be doing the same thing I did for the World Cup.
"I am going to stick it on a 20ft pole so it sticks out the top of the car and take it to car parks and pubs."
While it has not been confirmed when and where he will be visiting, he told how he will definitely be going to the Dockside, The Crown in Rochester and the town's castle and cathedral.
"We got a really good response last time and people were grabbing their phones out with big smiles on their faces," he said.
"I’m sure they’re going to be happy with this one.
"We played it by ear with the pubs last time because no one knows where everyone will go. We found the busiest pubs."
Asked what motivated him to do it, he said how his nan loves the royal family and is the Queen's "biggest fan".
"It’s her 70th year as the monarch so I thought it was worth doing as it will put a lot of smiles on people’s faces," he said.
"I do a YouTube channel called Motoring Helps Mental Health so I tend to do things to cheer people up through motoring and give them something to smile about.
"Seeing how many Union Flags were out and how many people were getting involved with it.
"You see loads of flags but you can’t miss this one - it looks like a billboard when it comes round the corner.
"It’s definitely going to get a good response because it will be the biggest flag in Medway."
