A ‘GLOBAL family’ bound by values of co-operation, understanding and tolerance was celebrated as East Sussex joined an international ceremony to mark Commonwealth Day.

The Commonwealth flag was raised at County Hall, in Lewes, today (MON 10) by East Sussex County Council chairman Cllr Colin Belsey (pictured) in one of more than 500 such ceremonies across the UK.

The event, in the year in which the Commonwealth Games returns to the UK, was the first of what is to become an annual occasion held on the second Monday in March.

A message from the Queen written to mark the event was read aloud by the chairman.

Cllr Belsey said: “The Commonwealth has been a great success story in bringing together people from countries across the globe in a spirit of co-operation and understanding.

“The flag-raising ceremony offered us here in East Sussex the chance to join other authorities and organisations across the UK and around the world in celebrating this global family.

“The ceremony represented a coming together of all the members of the Commonwealth to promote the ties which bind us together, such as democracy, tolerance, human rights and the rule of law.”

Flags were flown at locations including the four capital cities of the United Kingdom, Land’s End and the Shetland Islands and the Rothera Research Station, on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Charity teams also marked the day by taking Commonwealth flags to the summits of the highest peaks in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland –  Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis, Mount Snowdon and Slieve Donard.

A ‘Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth’ interactive map can be found at www.esriuk.com/flyaflagmap