Cllr Pat Nash will hand out 100 red roses from a market stall to people from the steps outside the town hall to mark the patron saint of England’s day on Thursday, April 23.

She will be asking people to make donations to her charities Hospital at Home, St John Ambulance and Sue Ryder Care’s Thorpe Hall Hospice.

The mayor, who is also keen to see St George’s Day become a public holiday, said no one should be ashamed to celebrate the annual fixture.

In the past, the flag has been hijacked by the far-right, but the mayor said now was the time for people to use the occasion to unite.

She said: “The Welsh, Scots and Irish are proud of theirs. We should be proud of our national day. I think it should be a bank holiday.

“If there was a petition taken to Downing Street about making it a public holiday, I would be at the front of the queue.”

The mayor got the idea for the 100 red roses by reading a list of suggestions sent by the St George’s Day Society.

She said: “People can wear a red rose with pride. Anyone who comes along can have one and drop a few pence in a bucket for charity.

“It will be for one hour on the town hall front steps from 10.30am

“I think we need to focus in on it in a more positive attitude.

“We are a fabulous country, so let’s praise it.”

Council leader John Peach is also keen to mark the day:

He said “We don’t do enough for it, being English. Scotland, Ireland and Wales make a lot more of it.

“It would be helpful if we had a bank holiday on St George’s Day instead of May Day. It’s just moving the bank holiday and celebrating something I feel should be celebrated.”

He said various residents groups had organised their own celebrations, such as street parties, and the flag would be flying as usual from the town hall.

Meanwhile, the mayor will also be attending the annual Scouts parade for St George’s Day on April 26.

The museum will have a costume re-enactor dressed as St George throughout the Easter Holidays.

Meanwhile. Cambridgeshire County Council is asking its residents how they would like to celebrate the day.

Ideas have included a parade involving schools, exhibitions at libraries or something more symbolic such as a gathering of everyone who has taken part in a citizenship service since they were introduced in 2005.

The council has set up an e-mail address where residents can send ideas to stgeorge@cambridgeshire. gov.uk

Council chairman Cllr Tony Orgee, said: “In recent years, St George’s Day has just been a note in a calendar, but across the country, more and more people are beginning to celebrate the day.”