DECEMBER 16, 2024 — An independent councillor in Fenland District, England, will propose a motion today to officially recognize the Fenland flag, BBC reports.
If successful, the flag will be sent to be included in the Flag Registry.
Councillor Dal Roy, representing Elm and Christchurch, plans to bring the motion to Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire today.
Mr. Roy stated the initiative is designed to “unite the people of Fenland,” particularly given the area’s diverse community. He believes an official flag will help establish a joint identity for residents to “bring people together as Fenlanders.”
The flag, designed by local resident and vexillographer Peter James Bowman, features the “Fen Tiger,” a nickname historically associated with protesters who opposed marsh drainage projects in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Mr. Bowman began developing the flag design in 2016, and a campaign to promote its adoption gained momentum in 2018.
The design includes a central vertical stripe symbolizing “agricultural prosperity” and two blue stripes representing the “region’s natural and man-made waterways.” The tiger reflects the fierce resistance of locals who fought against the transformation of the Fens into arable land.
“It’s about giving people from many diverse communities and cultures that identity to say, ‘We are Fenland Tigers, we are a part of Fenland,'” Mr. Roy told the BBC.
“This is about uniting the people, and when you unite people you become powerful, and power could attract business, opportunities, and investment to the area.”
This latest effort follows a previous bid in 2021, reported the Ely Standard, when East Cambridgeshire District Council passed a motion led by Councillor Anna Bailey to support the ambition for official recognition. Councillor Bailey cited the Black Country flag’s success as an inspiration, emphasizing that a recognized Fenland flag would strengthen local identity.
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