CREATING

LOCAL & COMMUNITY

FLAGS
An Olhciol Flog lnslilule Guide
Crcating locaI & Community fIags - An OfciaI fIag lnstitutc Guidc
First published in the United Kingdom in 2013 by the Flag Institute.
Copyright The Flag Institute 2013
Charles Ashburner has asserted his rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 and the Berne
Conventon on Copyrght to be dented us the uuthor o ths vork.
A rghts reserved. No purt o ths booket muy be reproduced, stored n u retrevu system or trunsmtted
n uny vuy or by uny meuns, eectronc, mechuncu, photocopyng, recordng or othervse vthout the
pror vrtten permsson o the copyrght hoder.
\hst every cure hus been tuken n the prepuruton o ths booket, nether the pubsher nor the uuthor
ussume uny responsbty or errors or omssons, or or dumuges resutng rom the use o the normuton
contained herein.
Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by Print Partnership Reprographics LTD.
AcknowIcdgcmcnts
Written by Charles Ashburner. Edited by Charles Ashburner, Jim Alexander, Graham Bartram and Malcolm
lurrov OBE
lurtcuur thunks to Cruhum urtrum und lhp 1bbetts vhose vork on desgn gudenes, compettons, und
regstruton procedures ormed the buss o those sectons. Aso thunks to Nck \eekes und luth leurney.
1he lug lnsttute s ndebted to the Rt Hon Lrc lckes MP, und Andy \httuker or ther contrbutons.
lmagc Crcdits
Cover: Chures Ashburner & every }ones. lnsde Cover: Mucom lurrov OBE. Page 1: Flag Institute. Pages
3, 5, 9: Depurtment or Communtes und Locu Covernment. luge 4: 1he Huo. luge 6, 8, l2, uck Cover:
lug lnsttute. luge 7: Cruhum urtrum. luges l0,ll: Andy \httuker. lnsde uck Cover: }uson Suber &
Andy Strungevuy.
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FOREWORD
BY THf SfCRfTARY Of STATf fOR COMMUNlTlfS & lOCAl GOVfRNMfNT
\e huve vtnessed u surge n ug yng ceebrutons over the ust ev yeurs. lrom the Cympcs to the
Royu \eddng to the Dumond }ubee, ugs rom u our home nutons und rom u over the vord vere
ovn vth pusson.
lugs deserve our respect. Not ony do they convey pover und stutus but they cun creute deep prde und
bring unbridled joy.
As Secretury o Stute, l huve been chumponng the
cuuse o ugs und those vho y them. My depurt-
ment hus ovn un ustonshng runge o ugs outsde
our heudquurters ugs o trudtonu countes, o
overseus terrtores, und oregn nutonu ugs.
1he pover o ugs to move peope s vrtten deep
n our cuture - everyvhere rom the Cd 1estument
to Shukespeure.
And they matter as much as ever today. They give
peope u vuy o suyng ve beong. \hether thut
is to their nation, their county, their sports club or
their school.
ut there vus u probem thut prevented peope rom enoyng ther ug. Lxcessve punnng rues meunt
peope hud to seek permsson und even puy u churge n order to y ugs thut veren't on u nurrovy pre-
scrbed st. ln Lngund ve huve nov ended ths ug oy und chunged the rues. \e ure hopeu thut smur
chunges muy soon be consdered throughout the rest o the Lnted lngdom.
A vder runge o ugs ure nov ube to be ovn vthout seekng express consent, meunng ndvduus,
busnesses und communty groups ure ube y ther chosen ug vth prde vthout ncurrng costs. 1hese
chunges huve ncreused the number o ugs thut peope cun y und promoted ntegruton und communty
spirit.
\e huve mude ceur thut ut moments o nutonu prde und ceebruton - the Royu \eddng, St Ceorge's
Duy und the \ord Cup - peope shoud ee ree to ceebrute by yng u ug. And pubc nsttutons, rom
\htehu to 1ovn Hu, shoud support them.
Hstorc countes ke Mddesex, the Rdngs o Yorkshre or Cumberund - und peope's sense o beongng
to them - cunnot be uboshed by the stroke o u bureuucrut's pen. 1hey retun u puce n peope's memores
und uectons, despte uttempts to vpe t o the mup. 1hut s hurdy surprsng, vhen the hstorc Lngsh
countes ure one o the odest orms o ocu government n \estern Lurope.
\th the nev rues n puce, l ook orvurd to seeng u contnued surge n nterest n peope yng them.
1he lug lnsttute hus done more or the cuuse o ugs thun probuby uny other orgunsuton n the vord.
The Institute has brought together enthusiasts, experts, academics and amateurs to appreciate and navigate
the vord o vexoogy.
l'm deghted they ure nov devotng ther uttenton und consderube expertse to hep spreud the vord und
encouruge und educute peope to desgn und regster ther ovn ug or the rst tme. l'm gong to muke
sure thut these nev ugs v nd prde o puce n \htehu too, und commend the exceent vork done
by Chures Ashburner und other members o the lnsttute.
1he Rt Hon Lrc lckes MP
Secretury o Stute or Communtes und Locu Covernment
The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP unveiled his plan to liberalise
|ag |y|ng tegu|a||ons a| |he I|ag lns|||u|e Spt|ng Mee||ng
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INTRODUCTION
lugs ure mportunt to u Ll socetes und socu groups. 1hey ure emotve symbos o unty, revouton,
sport, trbusm, protest, putrotsm und prde, und remun the utmute symbo o dentty.
1here s u puce n socety or ugs chosen n bourd rooms, u puce or ete ugs vhch renorce the socu
stutus o ndvduus or umes, u puce or ugs desgned to muke money or to pursue specc ugendus,
but socety reserves ts most mportunt puce or ugs o communty - ugs vhch bnd peope together, und
shout \L' nsteud o mutterng ML'.
1he lug lnsttute s u unquey democrutc orgunsuton, und ve chumpon the popuur use o democrut-
cuy chosen ugs. \e're here to support your rght to y u ocu ug vhch you ee represents you.
\hether t's the ug o u pursh, vuge, tovn, cty, or hstorc county ths gude hus been creuted to hep
steer you through the process o deveopng und regsterng desgns vhch you und those vth vhom you
shure u sense o communty cun pont to und suy ths s our ug.
INDEX
lorevord by Secretury o Stute or Communtes und Locu Covernment ................................................ 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Local and Community Flags in the United Kingdom ............................................................................... 3
Lstubshng u Nev Locu or Communty lug ......................................................................................... 4
Flag Design Guidelines ........................................................................................................................... 5
Holding a Flag Institute Endorsed Flag Design Competition .................................................................... 6
Registering a Flag in the United Kingdom Flag Registry .......................................................................... 8
Nottnghumshre & Derbyshre Cuse Study ........................................................................................... 10
Notes on Flag Flying Regulations .......................................................................................................... 12
CONTACT INFORMATION
You cun contuct the lug lnsttute ut the oovng uddresses, emu und teephone numbers:
fIag lnstitutc Che Lxecutve
38 H Street or fIag lnstitutc
Muyur 7 de u eche Street
London Svunseu
\l} 5NS SAl 3LZ
communityflagteam@flaginstitute.org
020 7060 9660 or 0l792 650046
\hen uunchng u propery regstered nev ocu or communty ug you muy uso vsh to consder
contuctng the Depurtment or Communtes und Locu Covernment (DCLG) to request thut they y
your nev ug ut ther London heudquurters.
Dcpartmcnt for Communitics and locaI Govcrnmcnt
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
S\lL 5DL
contactus@communities.gsi.gov.uk
0303 444 0000
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LOCAL AND COMMUNITY FLAGS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
WHY DO WE NEED THEM?
Locu ugs hep to oster u sense o dentty. 1hey creute u symbo vhch members o the communty cun
reute to oten somethng ceebrutng the unque churucter o the ureu. 1he Devonshre ug, creuted n
2003, symboses the beuutu green o hs o the countrysde, the sut o the seu und the buck rocks on
the moors. \orcestershre's ug, regstered n 20l3, eutures the county's umous buck peur, the crcket
teum's green shrts und the bue o the Rver Severn.
A ug brngs un ureu's dversty together under one bunner teruy. lt creutes the personuty o the puce.
lt cements the deu o combned responsbty und gves communty members somethng to ee proud
o. ln the \est Country, you y the ug o Devon you're unnouncng thut you're Devonun: und other
Devonuns huve un nstunt devce or recognsng u shured nvestment n vhere you ve.
ln bg ctes, boroughs or numed ureus oten huve u sense o communty too but the prde, und some o
the postve orce or chunge thut goes vth t, cun get ost n the nose o the cty. lmugne u borough ug
or Huckney n London, u stundurd or Skeven n South \ues. Somethng tungbe, promotng the deu o
ocu togetherness, vhch resdents coud ee connected to.
THf UNlTfD klNGDOM flAG RfGlSTRY
1he lug lnsttute muntuns und munuges the nutonu Lnted lngdom lug Regstry, the ony dentve
record o nutonu und ocu ugs n the Lnted lngdom.
1he |ag o| M|dd|esex |y|ng ou|s|de |he o||ces o| |he Oepat|men| |ot
Commun|||es and Ioca| Covetnmen| |o matl M|dd|esex Oay.
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ESTABLISHING A NEW LOCAL OR COMMUNITY FLAG
WHAT TO lOOk fOR
\hen consderng desgns or nev communty
und ocu ugs, begn by ookng ut:
meunngs o ocu puce numes,
ocu egends und okore,
trudtonu embems und coours,
uchevements o ocu peope,
ocu ndustres (pust und present),
uccepted ncknumes or ocu peope: }ucks,
ugges, Cockneys, etc.
ADVlCf ON THf lNADVfRTfNT USf Of
OfffNSlVf SYMBOlS.
Lnder the 1errorsm Act 2000, the Home Secretury muy proscrbe un orgunsuton he/she beeves t s
enguged n terrorsm. lt s u crmnu oence to use symbos vhch suggest membershp or support o uny
proscrbed orgunsuton. lenutes or these oences cun be u muxmum o l0 yeurs n prson und/or u
J5,000 ne.
y checkng proposed ug desgns vth the lug lnsttute the kehood o uny nudvertent use o proscrbed
symbos v be reduced.
THf ADVANTAGfS Of BflNG lNClUSlVf
A communty s u vng thng, connected to ts economc und potcu envronment ke u tree to the eco-
system n vhch t grovs, or un endungered unmu to ts surroundngs. Lke the tree, und the unmu, t
sn't equpped to cope vth chunge t v nd t hurder to survve.
Lven extremey poor communtes, vhen bessed vth u dversty o cuturu nuences, thrve. Coouru
murkets se ood thut brngs the ocu resdents out to spend every duy, cues und ocu shops become
meetng puces, schoos encouruge eurnng, understundng und u rch cross-ponuton o cuturu deus.
Cutures thut vork und puy together mx u vder puette o sks, knovedge, und urt u the thngs, n
other vords, vhch ov n the heurt o u resent communty.
A ug, desgned senstvey to represent the ncusve e o un ureu, gves the members o evovng com-
muntes u ocus or u reu sense o prde und unty. lt becomes u symbo o the combned dentty o the
ureu: somethng to pont to, und ceebrute, vthout eur thut the cuturu dversty o the puce s ost n u
homogensng dentty. lropery done, the ug symboses u puce vth u specu knd o reedom.
A nev ug cun be u stutement o ntent: u decuruton o unother encuve o coour, cuture, vbruncy und
e vthn the context o overu rtshness.
COMMUNlTY lDfNTlTY MAkfS BRlTAlN A STRONGfR, HAPPlfR PlACf
lt cun be hurd to ee u sense o dentty n toduy's vord. Advunces n trunsport und communcuton huve
mude the vord smuer, but oten euvng ndvduus souted und eeng out o puce.
rtun's emergent communtes, und the ugs thut gve them ther sense o dentty, ure cupube o recon-
sttutng u country vth u postve prde n dversty. \hose ndependent purts ure stronger und hupper: u
ceebruton o the ntoxcutng dversty o the products, undscupes und churucters unque to euch ureu,
und o the cutures und bees thut huve chosen to sette there.
nge| o| |he !ot|h. Symbo|s may be |ound |n |he coun|ty-
s|de as ve|| as |n v|||ages, |ovns and c|||es.
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FLAG DESIGN GUIDELINES
1he lug lnsttute hus u seres o
gudenes vhch muy be useu
to unyone settng up u ug desgn
competition:
kffP lT SlMPlf
1he ug shoud be smpe enough
thut u chd cun druv t rom
memory, ese t v be too hurd or
people remember and reproduce.
USf MfANlNGfUl SYMBOlS
1he ug's eements, coours, or put-
terns shoud reute to vhut t v
represent. 1he ug shoud symbo-
se the ureu us u vhoe ruther thun
uny other enttes vhch ure better
served by huvng ther ovn ugs (e. try not to symbose specc tovns or the country)
TRY TO USf TWO TO THRff BASlC COlOURS
Lmt the number o coours on the ug to three, vhch contrust ve und come rom the stundurd coour
set: red, orunge, yeov, green, ght bue, durk bue, purpe, buck und vhte. Durk und ght coours v
contrust ve ugunst euch other, n purtcuur yeov or vhte v vork ve on uny o the other coours
and vice versa.
NO lfTTfRlNG OR SfAlS
Avod the use o vrtng o uny knd or un orgunsuton's budge, seu or cout o urms. \rtng und other
ntrcute detu s dcut to see ut u dstunce und v key be unrecognsube vhen the ug s yng n
the vnd. lt s better to use eements rom un upproprute cout o urms us symbos on the ug.
Bf DlSTlNCTlVf
Avod dupcutng other ugs,
desgns ook too smur then
the ugs coud be ms-dented.
HOW Wlll lT flY lN THf
WlND!
Remember, the design must be
dstnctve vhen yng on u hgh
poe n u strong vnd, und vhen
hungng n vndess condtons
too. Aso remember thut t v
umost uvuys huve rppes
cuused by the vnd.
S|mp|e ye| d|s||nc||ve des|gns ate eas||y tecogn|sab|e a| a d|s|ance.
Comp|ex des|gns, espec|a||y |hose v||h |ex|, can be hatd
|o male ou| even c|oseup.
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HOLDING A FLAG INSTITUTE-ENDORSED FLAG DESIGN COMPETITION
Flags should not be imposed on people. They should be chosen and embraced by the people they purport
to represent. 1he best vuy to ensure ths s to run u lug lnsttute endorsed ug competton.
1here ure muny udvuntuges to hodng u ug competton. Not ony does t uov u vder group o peope
to huve ther nput und enguge vth the desgn process, but t uso promotes greuter communty nvove-
ment n the nu ug.
1here ure three types o ug thut mght quuy or ncuson n the Ll lug Regstry: ocu communty ugs
(ncudng ctes, tovns und vuges), hstorc county ugs und ugs or other types o trudtonu ureus, such
as islands or provinces.
1he Ll lug Regstry ony records ugs reey ovned und used by the peope n the communty or ocu ureus
represented. lugs or modern udmnstrutve enttes (ocu uuthortes etc.), und ugs subect to copyrght
restrctons voud not be ncuded.
WHO CAN fSTABllSH A COMPfTlTlON!
lor u ug desgn competton to be uccepted by the lug lnsttute t must be seen us beng ronted by one or
more orgunsutons or groups ndgenous to the ureu t cums to represent, u competton coud be estub-
shed by u resdent's ussocuton, u cvc socety, u ocu museum, or even u ocu medu outet.
lt s vtu thut ut eust one o the stukehoders s
ube to dever ormu press reeuses, hence u
medu outet voud be u good orgunsuton to
huve on bourd. lndvduus vho do not huve
ths ubty shoud uvod pubcy rontng the
competition.
lnvove the lug lnsttute pror to the uunch o
the competton. \e're here to hep, und our
servces ure ree o churge. y securng our eury
involvement the competition project plan and
regstruton requrements cun be ugreed beore
the competition is made public.
Lven your ocu uuthorty s not u ormu purtcpunt n the competton, t's vorth
upprouchng them n udvunce to get ther upprovu o the deu o huvng u competton
to desgn u ocu ug. No reusonube ocu uuthorty v oppose such u pun, und they
muy be ube to oer uddtonu udvce und ussstunce.
RUNNlNG THf COMPfTlTlON
1here ure usuuy severu stuges to u ug desgn competton, ncudng: prepuruton, uunch, competton
entries, shortlisting, voting, registration and unveiling.
1he prepuruton stuge requres u ormu stukehoders to ugree u uunch pun. Cnce the pun s ugreed, un
ocu press reeuse v be orgunsed, oovng vhch u perod o ut eust one month shoud be uocuted
to tuke n submssons to the competton. lurther press reeuses und udvertsng ure recommended n order
to drum up us much exctement ubout the competton us possbe, ths v uso uttruct more submssons
rom the ocu communty.
ln terms o udgng the competon, ths stuge shoud tuke no onger thun one month, und the ntu gou
shoud be to nurrov the entres dovn to u xed number o shortsted nusts (more on ths beov). 1here
shoud then be u perod o ut eust tvo veeks vhere the nusts receve votes, und ths shoud be uccom-
panied by another press release to encourage maximum voting numbers.
Cnce the nu votes ure n, und the vnner s decded, regstruton o the nev ug cun be competed. ln
I|ag des|gnet and ss|s|an| |o |he I|ag lns|||u|es Ch|e|
Vex|||o|og|s|, Ih|||p 1|bbe||s
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uddton to ths, un ocu uunch shoud be punned to ormuy to unnounce the vnner und unve the
vnnng ug desgn. 1hs shoud be no more thun u month uter votng.
COMPfTlTlON fNTRlfS
Competton entres shoud be submtted n ne vth the lug lnsttute's stundurd terms und condtons,
vhch ure uvuube us u ree dovnoud rom the lug lnsttute vebste. 1hs covers u runge o busc common-
sense requrements und ensures u eve puyng-ed or u entrunts. Lntrunts must uso decure thut they
ure huppy or ther entry to be reeused nto the pubc domun.
NOTE: Decde you vunt desgn entres rom ocu peope ony or rom u vder uudence. Remember thut
u vder purtcputon muy resut n u greuter und more vured runge o entres.
SHORTllSTlNG
1he number o desgns seected or the shortst o nusts shoud generuy be betveen three und sx, so
thut the pubc vote sn't spreud too thny.
Desgns mukng t to the shortst o nusts must meet lug lnsttute desgn gudenes to ensure thut u
potentu vnnng desgns ure cupube o beng regstered.
lugs ure ntended to perorm u specc, mportunt uncton. ln order to do ths there ure
busc desgn stundurds vhch need to be met.
THf SflfCTlON PANfl
1he seecton pune shoud consst o representutves rom euch o the ormu stukehoders o the compet-
ton, ncudng u representutve rom the lug lnsttute (vho v ensure thut nu desgns ure o sucent
gruphcu quuty to u ther purpose us ugs). Addtonu udges (ncudng ceebrtes umed ut rusng
the competton's proe) muy be druted n ut the dscreton o the competton stukehoders.
ln uddton to ensurng the ugs meet gruphcu gudenes, the shortstng pune v uso huve the pover
to edt, mody or merge desgns n cuses vhere they ee t voud mprove the gruphcu or symboc
propertes o the ug.
VOTlNG
Voting methods should be agreed by all
ormu competton stukehoders, but the
uctuu orgunsng o the votng shoud be
done by the pubc ront o the compet-
tion, such as the media outlet. The vote
cun be hed physcuy or onne, uccord-
ng to the orgunsers' vshes, und they ure
uso responsbe or decdng vhether to
muke votng open to the generu pubc or
restricted to the local area.
Artvork or the nusts shoud be o u con-
sistent standard, so as not to give advantage
to one desgn over unother vhen beng
compared by the voters.
Once all votes have been counted and a
vnner s decded, thut resut s nu, und
once the Che Vexoogst hus vered
the resut, the vnnng desgn muy then be
adopted into the UK Flag Registry.
Ctaham Bat|tam
I|ag lns|||u|e Ch|e| Vex|||o|og|s|
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PUBllClTY: HOW TO MAXlMlSf YOUR flAG lAUNCH fXPOSURf
lubcty s the responsbty o the ndvduus munugng the competton, but t s mportunt thut uny pubc
communcutons, ncudng compunts, ure hunded through the desgnuted press oce. lt s uso mportunt
or reguur press reeuses to be crcuuted vu nevspupers, rudo und vebstes to promote und support every
stuge o the competton. e proud o your competton und hep peope get nvoved!
GfTTlNG THf SUPPORT Of flAG MANUfACTURfRS
eore peope cun y ther nev ug, someone v huve to muke t. Luse vth ug mukers und ensure thut
they knov vhut the nev desgn s. A u st o lug lnsttute Regstered rtsh lugmukers und ug truders
s uvuube on the lug lnsttute vebste.
RfGlSTRATlON
Cnce u vnnng desgn hus been decded, und s deemed gruphcuy ucceptube, the Che Vexoogst
v ensure thut the ug uppeurs n the Ll lug Regstry. 1hs shoud huppen no more thun u month uter
the resut s decded, uness u specc dute s requested by the stukehoders. 1here s no churge or ths.
REGISTERING A FLAG IN THE UK FLAG REGISTRY
eore regsterng u nev ug on the Ll lug Regstry the lug
lnsttute v ensure thut u ug desgn:
Meets basic graphical standards.
Hus been chosen n u democrutc und ree reerendum or vote.
ecuuse there ure severu derent types o ug thut cun be regs-
tered, there ure uso severu derent vuys to regster them. Luch
type o regstruton hus derent requrements thut must be met.
NfW DfSlGNS
A nev desgn reers to u ug vhch s orgnu n desgn, though
vhch muy st ncude eements o trudtonu cons und symbos.
lor u nev desgn to be uccepted t must huve ooved one o
the oovng routes to regstruton:
Public Competition.
Vu u reevunt ocu uuthorty. lor such u nev desgn to be
uccepted the lug lnsttute voud requre u etter, on heuded
puper, rom the reevunt uuthorty, detung ther reevunce to
the ureu n queston, outnng ther ntended use or the ug
und the symbosm o the desgn.
\here u ug hus been n use (unregstered) or u ong perod o tme. Such un uppcuton muy be mude
by unyone (ugun n vrtng), but must be uccompuned by compeng evdence o provenunce und
local use.
1he II I|ag Reg|s|ty
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TRADlTlONAl DfSlGNS
1rudtonu desgns reer to exstng ugs, such us St. lrun's Cross o Cornvu, bunners o ocu uuthortes,
such us the bunner o the ormer Cheshre County Counc, und hstorcu embems thut ure used us ugs,
such us the ug o ucknghumshre (u o vhch cun be seen n the Ll lug Regstry).
\here the ug desgn beongs to u ocu uuthorty, thut uuthorty must ugree to pubcy reeuse the ug,
und uov t to be used reey by the communty. 1her consent must be expressed through u ormu etter
to the Flag Institute, on headed paper.
l u trudtonu desgn doesn't beong to u ocu uuthorty t cun be regstered by uny ocu representutve
group (ncudng u ocu uuthorty) n vrtng, on heuded puper, detung the group's reevunce to the ureu
n queston und the provenunce o the trudtonu desgn.
A trudtonu desgn cun uso be entered nto u pubc desgn competton o the knd descrbed esevhere
in this guide.
MORf lNfORMATlON
1he desgn requrements o u ug muy be smpe, but they ure u vtu uctor n the regstruton o u ug,
vhchever o the uorementoned routes ure chosen.
1he lug lnsttute shoud be enguged us eury us possbe, to uov sucent tme or consututon on the
design in question.
1he lug lnsttute cun provde udvce und support vth the overu desgn, und the nu urtvork quuty.
Contuct the Che Vexoogst ut chiefvexillologist@flaginstitute.org
1he I|ag o| Cotnva||
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE & DERBYSHIRE CASE STUDY
C Rudo Nottnghum reukust Shov presenter Andy
\httuker vus numed Itesen|et o| |he \eat n 2009 or ...
encoutag|ng evetyone vho |uned |n |o |h|nl abou| |he|t
c||y and coun|y |n a pos|||ve and d|||eten| vay. He has
ed ug creuton cumpugns n tvo countes:
BACkGROUND
l have been |nvo|ved |n |he ctea||on o| |vo coun|y |ags,
!o|||nghamsh|te & Oetbysh|te, |htough my tad|o shovs.
ln bo|h |oca||ons |he |dea vas |ts| sugges|ed by ||s|en-
ets vho van|ed a |ag |o ca|| |he|t ovn and |onged |o
have some|h|ng s|m||at |o Cotnva||. ln Oetbysh|tes case
|hete had nevet been a coun|y |ag bu| |n !o|||ngham-
sh|te || emetged |ha| a |||||elnovn des|gn vas a|teady
be|ng so|d by a hand|u| o| |ag malets. !oone seemed |o lnov vhete || had come |tom, || seemed |o be
geneta||y d|s||led and |he I|ag lns|||u|e vas no| avate o| ||. s such, |he ques| began |o |nd a des|gn |ha|
evetyone cou|d un||e beh|nd.
DfSlGN lDfAS
Bo|h |ag des|gns came abou| |tom |o|s o| d|scuss|on
on |he tad|o. 1he I|ag lns|||u|e had o||eted some |n|||a|
adv|ce, tecommend|ng s|mp||c||y and an avo|dance o| any
votds. 1he d|scuss|ons began by |ool|ng a| co|outs and
emb|ems assoc|a|ed v||h each coun|y, and |h|s ptocess
tea||y cap|uted |he |mag|na||on o| peop|e ||s|en|ng. Oes|gn
|deas |ooded |n! ln bo|h coun||es, || vasn| |ong be|ote
|hemes s|at|ed |o appeat.
Many o| |he des|gns sen| |n, vete pos|ed on||ne and |hen
o|het peop|e vete ab|e |o commen| on vha| |hey ||led
and vha| |hey d|dn|. ln Oetbysh|te, |he common emb|ems
vete |he S|ag, |he 1udot Rose (|he coun|y emb|em) and
|he Ram. Iopu|at co|outs vete gteen and b|ue. ln !o||s,
|he ovetvhe|m|ng majot||y o| sugges||ons |nc|uded Rob|n
Hood, and |hete vas s|tong sense |ha| |he S| Ceotges
Ctoss shou|d |ea|ute |oo.
SflfCTlON
1he nex| s|age vas |o come up v||h |htee po|en||a| des|gns
|o pu| |o a pub||c vo|e. ln Oetbysh|te, |hete vete |htee
des|gns |ha| vete c|eat|y ahead o| |he o|hets |n |etms o|
|eedbacl and |n !o|||nghamsh|te l pu| |oge|het a |ag comm|||ee o| ve||lnovn |oca| peop|e, |o ama|gam-
a|e |he |deas |n|o |htee |na| des|gns. 1he pub||c vo|es |ool p|ace on |he BBC vebs||e and a||hough a c|eat
v|nnet vas es|ab||shed |n bo|h coun||es, |h|s vas no| tevea|ed a| |h|s po|n|.
THE LAUNCHES
||et |he pub||c vo|e, |he v|nn|ng des|gns vete sen| |o |ag malets and |he I|ag lns|||u|e. |aunch day vas
se|, by vh|ch ||me a hand|u| o| |ags vete made teady |o |y |n ptom|nen| |oca||ons. ln Oetbysh|te |he |ag
vas |ovn |ot |he |ts| ||me s|mu||aneous|y |n |out |oca||ons dut|ng my tad|o shov and |n !o|||nghamsh|te,
|| vas |htee. Hundteds o| peop|e came |o |he |aunch |oca||ons |n bo|h coun||es |o see |he v|nn|ng des|gn
|ot |hemse|ves. 1hete vas a|so covetage on 1V and |n |he |oca| ptess. s |he des|gn had a|teady been passed
|o |ag malets (undet embatgo), peop|e cou|d buy |he |ag on |he |aunch day.
ndy \h|||alet v||h |he |ts| Oetbysh|te |ag
/oe Iasqua|e & ndy \h|||alet v||h |he
!o|||nghamsh|te |ag.
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lfGACY
Bo|h |ags needed |ut|het pub||c||y |o ge| |he message actoss |ha| |hey ex|s|ed, bu| bo|h ate nov v|de|y
|ovn on |ag po|es |n |oca||ons tang|ng |tom peop|es gatdens |o counc|| bu||d|ngs. 1hete |s no copyt|gh|
on |he |ags as |hey be|ong |o |he peop|e o| each coun|y! s such, anyone can use |hem hovevet |hey v|sh
and |he |ags have been |utned |n|o cat s||clets, p|n badges, embto|deted on c|o|h|ng, |ncotpota|ed |n|o
|e||et heads, used on bus|nesses vebs||es e|c.
1he |ag o| !o|||nghamsh|te on |aunch day
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NOTES ON FLAG FLYING REGULATIONS
A ug yng n the Lnted lngdom s subect to u ev stundurd condtons vhch broudy requre thut
ugs must:
be muntuned n u condton thut does not mpur the overu vsuu uppeurunce o the ste,
be kept n u sue condton,
huve the permsson o the ovner o the ste on vhch they ure dspuyed (ths ncudes the Hghvuy
Authorty the sgn s to be puced on hghvuy und),
not obscure, or hnder the nterpretuton o ocu roud, ru, vutervuy or urcrut sgns, or othervse
muke huzurdous the use o these types o trunsport,
be removed cureuy vhere so requred by the punnng uuthorty.
ln uddton prevung punnng reguutons (und n the cuse o Scotund other egu restrctons) muy uso uppy.
fNGlAND
loovng un overhuu o ug yng reguutons uunched by Rt Hon Lrc lckes MP at the Flag Institute
Sprng Meetng n Muy 20ll und mpemented by the Depurtment or Communtes und Locu Covern-
ment n September 20l2, Lngund nov hus the most ree und beru ug-reuted punnng reguutons n
the United Kingdom.
1he 1ovn und Country lunnng (Contro o Advertsements) (Lngund) (Amendment) Reguutons 20l2
meun thut n Lngund you do not need punnng permsson to y the ug o uny sund, county (current or
hstorc), dstrct, borough, burgh, pursh, cty, tovn, or vuge vthn the Lnted lngdom, n uddton to
ureus ke the uck Country, Lust Angu, \essex, purts o Lnconshre und uny Rdng o Yorkshre.
1he Depurtment or Communtes und Locu Covernment's
PlAlN fNGllSH GUlDf TO flYlNG flAGS
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/15438/flying_flags_guide.pdf
SCOTlAND, WAlfS & NORTHfRN lRflAND
lunnng construnts ( uny) on the dspuy o ocu und communty ugs n Scotund, \ues und Northern
lreund ure u devoved mutter, udvce shoud be sought rom the ocu punnng uuthorty.
ln Scotund, unquey, use o ugs s uso controed by the Lord Lyon lng o Arms, the heud o Lyon Court,
und one o the Creut Ccers o Stute n Scotund.
eore uunchng u ug desgn com-
petton n Scotund you shoud rst
contuct Lord Lyon's oce:
Thc Court of thc lord lyon
HM Nev Regster House
Edinburgh
LHl 3Y1
lyonoffice@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Shate yout nev |ag v||h us a| |he I|ag lns|||u|es annua| Spt|ng Mee||ng
|he \ot|ds |otemos| annua| vex|||o|og|ca| ga|het|ng.
ndy S|tangevay |s an adven|utet and campa|gnet vho |ts| became |n|etes|ed |n coun|y |ags |htough h|s hobby o| s|eep|ng
|n temo|e II |oca||ons. Out|ng 2611/12, he s|ep| on |he summ|| o| a|| S2 coun|y |ops o| Ing|and and \a|es. l| a coun|y had
a teg|s|eted |ag, he |ool || |o |he |op v||h h|m. 1o da|e he has success|u||y otgan|sed |he Ias|, !ot|h and \es| R|d|ng |ag
compe||||ons and |s cutten||y otgan|s|ng a |ag compe||||on |ot Coun|y Outham.
http://andystrangeway.wordpress.com/county-tops/
/ason Sabet has been |n|etes|ed |n |ags s|nce |he age o| |vo and jo|ned |he I|ag lns|||u|e |n h|s |eens. H|s pat||cu|at |asc|na||on
|s v||h coun|y |ags and |ot |he pas| 2S yeats he has ||te|ess|y encoutaged |oca| gtoups and |ag campa|gnets |o ptess ahead v||h
|he o||en daun||ng ptospec| o| |n|toduc|ng nev |ags. H|s e||ot|s |ed |o h|m ptomo||ng coun|y |ags on beha|| o| |he ssoc|a||on
o| Bt|||sh Coun||es, and v||h ndy S|tangevay, |o ctea||ng |he Bt|||sh Coun|y I|ags vebs||e:
http://britishcountyflags.wordpress.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/BritishCountyFlag
The Flag Institute
The Flag Institute is the UKs National Flag Charity (1152496) and is
dedicated to serving and educating the citizens of the UK in all things
Nog-rolo|od.
Tho Flog lns|i|u|o is domocro|ic ond opoli|icol. l| is monogod by o boord
ol hvo |rus|oos, odvisod by o Council ol ominon| voxillologis|s, ond run
by oxpor| volun|oors.
Tho worlds looding rosoorch ond documon|o|ion con|ro lor Nogs ond
Nog inlormo|ion, |ho Flog lns|i|u|o is |ho lorgos| voxillologicol mombor-
ship orgoniso|ion in |ho world. l| wos loundod on 23 April TZT.
Mombors rocoivo |ho |ournol, Flogmos|or, ovory quor|or ond oro on|i|lod
|o o||ond |ho moo|ings ol |ho lns|i|u|o, which |oko ploco |wico o yoor.
All mombors rosidon| in |ho UK con |oko por| in |ho govornmon| ol |ho
lns|i|u|o. Mombors hovo oxclusivo lroo occoss |o |ho ox|ondod librory
ol |ho Flog lns|i|u|o ond |o |ho Mombors Aroo ol |ho wobsi|o, which
con|oins o numbor ol popors ond rosourcos.
Tho lns|i|u|o providos voxillologicol sorvicos |o HM Govornmon| in |ho
UK ond |o mony o|hor orgonizo|ions oround |ho world, including |ho
Uni|od Mo|ions. Thoso sorvicos includo odvising on |ho uso ol Nogs,
dosigning now Nogs ond collo|ing inlormo|ion on Nogs ol |ho world.
The Flag Institute
38 Hill S|roo|
Mayfair
London WTJ 5MS
www.Nogins|i|u|o.org
@Nogins|i|u|o