By Councillor Adrian Gregson, Deputy Mayor of Worcester

Firstly let me wish you all a Happy New Year from the City Mayoralty! I hope you have had a good festive season and that the coming year for you is happy and peaceful.

The last few weeks have been a time when we think about our families, and for those of us with members across the country it is a great time to be able to meet up – usually. I guess, like me, many of you have had to do a lot of that by phone, or electronically. Hopefully this year has seen a more enlightened view to visits in care homes and hospitals however, which is obviously some sign of improved times ahead. And when we have celebrated together, it has been safe to do so.

Family gatherings also bring to mind memories of loved ones we have lost, and for the Civic Office this last year has been especially poignant, losing Cliff Lord, Jeff Carpenter and now also Aubrey Tarbuck. Their civic and community legacies are remembered along with the memories of their families and friends. Similarly, there was one example of resonance in my own ward of Rainbow Hill, when I recently attended the funeral of Biddy Furlong. Biddy was a stalwart of the local community and it is almost strange to write that I remember attending her 100th Birthday Party a few years ago!

I am sure many of you will have experienced a similar loss, or poignant reminders.

I admit to not being a great fan of the actual New Year ‘celebration’, as colleagues will testify, but there is much to look forward to in this Jubilee year, ranging from the Elgar Festival to the Commonwealth Games! If we can see moral and social responsibility along with consistent guidelines and behaviour, then I genuinely hope that 2022 means things are going to get better.   ,