Yorkshire Maundy celebrations to mark 800th anniversary

The royal giving of alms to the poor and needy traditionally takes place on the Thursday before Easter and began when King John gave knives and food to 13 paupers during an Easter feast at his castle in Knaresborough.

The Queen still honours the tradition yearly by giving specially minted silver coins to deserving pensioners as recognition for their help in the community.

Knaresborough will be rewarding 13 citizens with its own silver coins, as well as sending out replicas to 1,300 primary school children.

Christine Willoughby, chairwoman of the town council's organising committee, said: "It will be 800 years since the first gifts were made by King John and we decided the date should not go unremembered."

The Queen herself will not be able to make the event, because she will be distributing the Royal Maundy money at Derby Cathedral this year, but organisers in Knaresborough say they are hopeful that there will be some Royal presence.

The Knaresborough committee says it is looking for nominees and designs for the silver coin that will incorporate the Knaresborough coat of arms. A re-enactment of King John's original Royal Maundy and medieval fair will also take place at the castle.