Mayor of Worcester Blog

Monday 5th: A most enjoyable lunch in the Worcester County Cricket Club with the Worcester Rotary Club. This is the first opportunity I have had to attend since my inauguration as an honorary member.

It is important for the Mayor to get out to the wider communities of the City. Therefore Jane and I were pleased to be invited to, and to address, the Warndon Parish Council meeting held this evening in the Lyppard Grange Community Centre. The Parish Council is so important for the management of a number of issues that affect the day to day lives of the community.

Tuesday 6th: The UK Chinese Education Foundation helps young Chinese in Britain to understand and learn about their homeland and culture. With the invitation of Mr. Frankie Tsang, Jane and I enjoyed a fund-raising banquet at his “Four Seasons” restaurant in Powick. It was fascinating to experience Chinese company, entertainment and of course the excellent food.

Wednesday 7th: The Mayor has a small capital fund dating from 1986. The committee, which I chaired today, decided on how to award small grants to needy applicants.

Did you all remember to change your television over to “digital” today?!!

Thursday 8th: Worcester is proud of its charity St. Richard’s Hospice Foundation. Jane and I attended the 25th Annual General Meeting this evening at Wildwood Drive and chaired by John Bawden. In my previous life as a Consultant Physician at the Worcester Royal Infirmary and since I have seen an amazing advance in our care of people suffering life-limiting conditions. St. Richard’s Hospice provides “a free, unique and individual package of support, whatever the patient’s physical, emotional or spiritual needs”.

Friday 9th: A group of twenty council officers from Bangladesh came to the Guildhall for a meeting with City Council officers to hear about our shared-services arrangements. I had the pleasure of welcoming them to the Parlour and then later took them on a tour of the Guildhall. Yes, the cells were the highlight!!

The Worcester Society of Artists has arranged its 64th Annual Exhibition in the Worcester City Art Gallery from tomorrow (10th September) until 15th October. Jane and I were privileged to have a private viewing this evening and to officially open the exhibition. It was wonderful and so well worth going to see. I was given the choice of a picture to hang in the Parlour until next year. The Society, established in 1947, exists to “encourage the appreciation, understanding and practice of the visual arts and is open to everyone”.

Worcester Society of Artists 64th Annual Exhibition at Worcester City Art Gallery

Saturday 10th: A day off!! As Chairman of the Worcestershire Branch of the Oxford University Society I accompanied a full coach of Society members to Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire. The picture of the Mansion House is what is always brought to mind but there are numerous old huts and buildings that were used throughout the Second World War. The breaking of enemy codes and cyphers, the Enigma machine cypher being the most famous, by the hundreds of men and women at Bletchley was crucial. The war was probably shorted by a year or more.

Mansion House, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire

“Cabaresque” at the Swan was outstanding and a great credit to Katie Love and her “De:Fault” Theatre. Jane and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

Sunday 11th: Heritage Open Days for 2011 are 8th -11th  September and celebrate England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public. It is an annual chance to discover hidden treasures and to bring to life local history and culture. Entrance to our Guildhall is of course always free although not usually open on a Sunday. So for most of today it was open with Frank my sword bearer, Paul Harding one of our mace bearers, Jane and myself all being available to welcome anyone to the Parlour and the rest of the Guildhall. We were delighted by the numbers of people who came in and these included visitors from Belgium, The Czech Republic, China and Wales. Everyone seemed thrilled by what they saw.

I am sure that “9/11” is a day when we can all remember where we were in 2001. I can. I was working in Masaka in Uganda. My son telephoned me to tell me of the terrible news from America: at that moment a television newsflash came on in the hotel where I was staying and I saw for myself. Everyone of several nationalities was stunned. I remember how the local Ugandans reacted… we all felt the same horror.

Monday 29th: Last Wednesday (24th. August) I helped the local Red Cross Society with the planting of a “Family” oak tree in Gheluvelt Park to raise awareness of the International Day of the Disappeared (30th. August) and the International Tracing and Message Service. Today Jane and I visited the Red Cross stall in the High Street set up to yet further remind us of the plight of the “Disappeared” and their families.

I spent a couple of hours writing an article on “Poisoning with drugs and chemicals in South Sudan: how big is the problem?” for the South Sudan Medical Journal. It’s a big problem in parts of Africa: kerosene (paraffin) in children and organophosphates (herbicides and insecticides) in adults. We need to know more of the situation in South Sudan.

The “Worcester Festival” has been a resounding success: we all owe a great big “Thank You” to Chris Jaegar and his team. And what a fantastic fireworks display enjoyed by thousands of people assembled in South Quay beside the river! There were patterns and colour combinations I certainly have not seen before.

Worcester Festival Fireworks 2011 taken at Fort Royal Park – Photo courtesy of Andrew Kelsall

Worcester Festival Fireworks 2011 taken at the Riverside, Worcester – Photo courtesy of Dave Grubb

We have the Chinese to thank too because it was in China that fireworks originated in the 7th century. The Chinese firework-masters (pyrotechnicians) became a highly respected professional class developing many kinds of fireworks and explosions, effects and colour.

Royal Fireworks – Image from Wikipedia

Tuesday 30th: A day of planning for future events. I met representatives of my three chosen charities (Leukaemia Care, Noah’s Ark and Worcester Farmers’ Overseas Action Group). The two main events are still on track: A “Murder Mystery Evening” on Friday 14th October and a “Business School Evening” and talk on “The History of Medicine in Worcester” at the Castle Street campus of the University on Wednesday 9th May 2012. If you know of anyone who would like to contribute by sponsoring part of these do let me know.

Some of the FOAG team during a visit by The Right Hon. Andrew Mitchell, MP

Susan O’Kane, Cllr Roger Berry (Deputy Mayor) and I gathered in the Parlour with Lt. Col. Gerry Taggart RE (Retired) who has worked tirelessly with the planning for Armed Forces Day celebrations next year (30th June 2012). He has “put out feelers” to the various organizations and has had a most encouraging response. Now comes the hard work of putting everything together. And we are also thinking about what we may do in 2013!!

The third meeting was to discuss, with the Rotary Club of Worcester, our joint charity dinner event on Friday 10th. February 2012. The plans are going well and it should be a great evening to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee of her accession to the throne. Food, entertainment, costumes (“Coronets and Tiaras”) and decorations all in the style of the 1950’s: don’t miss it!!

Wednesday 31st: Mike Harrison, Head of the Cleaner and Greener Department of the Worcester City Council, leaves tomorrow after 34 years’ service. He is the last of the Senior Officers who were here when I was first elected in 2004. He has helped to guide the Council through difficult times. I was privileged to speak at his farewell party in the Guildhall.

Mike Harrison’s Farewell Party at the Guildhall

Thursday 1st: A most memorable day. Twenty eight Junior Army Enlistments came to the Guildhall for a ceremony to swear the Oath of Allegiance for joining the Army. They had been carefully selected by Major H.L. Kennedy MBE Rifles (Area Recruiting Officer) and his team. Although life will be tough for these young men and women during their training over the next year or so I have no doubt that they will all get through. I had the honour of presenting each one with their Oath Certificate. The City, County and their families should be proud of them. To reflect the importance of this event I invited the recruits to sign the Mayor’s VIP Visitors’ Book.

Junior Army Oath of Allegiance at the Guildhall

Professor Omar Faruque, Editor of the “Dhaka Post”, is visiting friends in Worcester. He paid a courtesy visit to me in the Parlour and presented a copy of his recent publication of a detailed study of the Bangla Deshi community in the UK.

Friday 2nd: The “Big Bag Donation 2011” appeal is made by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). From today until Friday 16th. September “Big Donation” bags will be available from the Cathedral Plaza Shopping Centre. Everyone is asked to fill a bag with saleable goods from books and CD’s to bric-a-brac and then return it to the BHF shop on Mealcheapen Street. Jane and I attended, with John Kendrick, Centre Manager of the Cathedral Plaza, the launch of this appeal and to donate bags of books and clothes. BHF shops have a problem with maintaining their stock due to commercial collectors – companies that collect stock on behalf of charities for financial gain. The need to extend research into heart diseases and improve care continues to out outstrip the resources available so the BHF is vital. For more information visit www.bhf.org.uk.

Saturday 3rd: For the first time since the Battle of Worcester on September  3rd 1651 a Service of Commemoration was held in the Cathedral at 11am. The procession, which Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Jane and I joined as it passed the Guildhall, was spectacular with pipes and drums and costumes of 360 years ago. Canon Paul Tongue conducted the service beginning with the construction of a Drumhead on the Quire steps. Prayers of Oliver Cromwell and King Charles I were recited and Canon Tongue gave a history about Thomas Tomkins (1572 – 1656) who was organist of Worcester Cathedral from 1597 – 1654. Lord Faulkner spoke of the fascinating story and importance of 3rd September 1651, this being the date of the last battle of the civil wars which had begun in 1642. We also enjoyed organ music composed by Thomas Tomkins. The proceedings ended with a “March Past” the Guildhall with Lord Faulkner, Robin Walker MP, Jane and I and others taking the salute. Great Britain is as it is today because of the defeat of Charles II by Oliver Cromwell.

This evening there was a gathering of the Battle of Worcester Society at the Commandery. From there we processed to the top of Fort Royal Hill with its wonderful views of the City and where a short Drumhead service was conducted by Canon Paul Tongue and Ben Humphreys to commemorate the closing stages of the Battle of Worcester.

Battle of Worcester Procession to Fort Royal Hill – Photo Courtesy of Andrew Kelsall

Ben reminded us that in 1786, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (became the second and third presidents respectively of the USA) visited Fort Royal Hill. John Adams was disappointed at the locals’ lack of knowledge of the battle and said “And do Englishmen so soon forget the ground where liberty was fought for? Tell your neighbors and your children that this is holy ground, much holier than that on which your churches stand. All England should come in pilgrimage to this hill, once a year”. We too should take note of this.

Battle of Worcester – Fort Royal Hill – Photo Courtesy of Andrew Kelsall

Sunday 4th: It seemed as though most of the Mayors and Chairmen across Worcestershire were at The Blue Lagoon in Evesham this evening. It was a “Curry Evening” to raise funds for the Mayor (Cllr. James Bulman) of Evesham’s charities.

Remembrance Sunday is on 13^th November. Meticulous planning goes into the arrangements so a meeting was held in the Parlour with representatives from the Cathedral, The Royal British Legion and the Police. The length of the service in the Cathedral needs to be timed carefully to ensure everyone is in place around the War Memorial for wreath laying and the 11am two minutes’ silence.

Tuesday 23^rd: A day off!! Fantastic crop of lovely red crab apples: ideal for jelly making!!

Wednesday 24^th: The International Day of the Disappeared focuses on those who are missing for whatever reason: disaster, migration, war and imprisonment. The British Red Cross Society marks the Day on 30^th August. The International Tracing and Message Service (ITMS) run by the Red Cross and Red Crescent and is crucial for the location of lost family members. The success of the ITMS is demonstrated by its finding family members as far back as World War II.

It must be terrible not to know the whereabouts of a loved one especially if they are thought to have died. I have great affinity with this having spent time in Uganda and especially Rwanda over the last 40 years. In both these countries people have been killed and the places of their remains are unknown to this day.

Today I helped Penny Thompson, Andrew Roche and Tom Malone, of Red Cross Society Worcester, with the planting of an oak tree sapling in Gheluvelt Park. The planting of a memorial “family tree” is aimed at reminding us of the anguish of families facing these problems.

For more information see the web site: www.redcross.couk/trace.

A word about Gheluvelt Park: it was a lovely day and families were out in force enjoying the water feature facilities. I was impressed especially by the beds of drought resistant plants including the sedums and grasses. Just the year to test them out and it has worked. The Parks Department is rightly proud of what it has done.

Jane and I were delighted to welcome Katie Love and her parents for “tea” in the parlour. We all remember Katie taking part in the TV competition “So You Think You Can Dance” earlier this year. She came out as the top girl dancer. What an achievement by this Worcester lass. She started dancing at two years old and by the age of 16 years was studying theatre performance at Bird College before working front of house at Wicked in the West End. She used to be a member of Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Youth Society. Katie now teaches theatre workshops in Bird’s and has formed her own company, Default Theatre.

On 9^th and 10^th September Katie’s Default Theatre presents “Cabaresque!” at the Swan Theatre. Come and see this dance and music cabaret for the whole family…not to be missed!!

Thursday 25^th: I discovered the “Mayor’s Prayer Book” in a cupboard in the Parlour. It’s huge and contains the Book of Common Prayer, the Psalms and New Testament. Printed in 1700 and bound in crimson “turkey” leather. Well, I wonder if this story of “turkey” leather is true really? Maybe there is an origin from the Turkish word s??r?/ç??r? ‘rump of a horse’ or the prepared skin of this part. I have also found another reference of interest: Ostrich Foot Leather (often called “Turkey” foot) is made from German raised Ostrich. It is beautiful, tough and is available in a wide range of colours.

Among the pages of this “Prayer Book” were three pieces of paper: one is dated “1707 – 08”, but that cannot be right because it is written in biro!! It states “Pd. Mr. John Mountfort for a Book of Common Prayer, New Testament and Psalms on Royal Paper and extraordinarily bound in Turkey leather for the Mayor’s use. £03.04.06d” (£3.23p). The second paper is headed “WORCESTER CATHEDRAL. June 26^th, 1902” and records  Psalm 71 sung at “MORNING PRAYER”. The third document was for the “Thanksgiving for Victory, Order of Service 1945”.

The cover and binding of the “Prayer Book” is not in a good state so I took it along to David Morrison in the Cathedral Library. We have decided to have the cost of renovation estimated.

The Frontispiece of the Mayor’s Prayer Book

Friday 26^th: Friends from the City’s twin town of Kleve in Germany are here on a week’s visit. This evening we had a most enjoyable meal and very pleasant social event held in St. George’s Catholic Church Hall. It all ended with an hilarious game of Bingo!!

Our twinning with Kleve is now in its 24th year of which we are all very proud. Kleve (Cleves in English) is in the Lower Rhine region of north-western Germany near the Dutch border and the River Rhine. The name “Kleve” may originate from the German word “Kliff” perhaps referring to the promontory upon which the Schwanenburg was constructed. The city’s coat of arms shows three clovers (German “Klee”) so that may be a link. The Schwanenburg, built on a steep hill, is where the dukes of Cleves used to live resided.

Night view of Schwanenburg and Stiftkirche, image from Wikipedia.

Kleve’s famous daughter is Anne of Cleves (1515-1557), who briefly (6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540) was one of Henry VIII’s six wives.

Anne of Cleves, image and caption from Wikipedia: Portrait by Hans Holbein the younger, 1539. Parchment mounted on canvas, Louvre, Paris.

Saturday 27^th: Some years ago the people of Kleve gave the City of Worcester a statue of a black swan. This was placed on a plinth beside the river on what has been named Kleve Walk. Sadly the Swan was stolen but then through the kindness of Peter Telford was replaced. But disaster struck again when the plinth itself was badly damaged by an earth-moving vehicle. At last all is back in place thanks to the stone masons of the Cathedral. The Worcester Twinning Association, our visitors from Kleve, Jane and I gathered around the statue to celebrate and renew our gratitude for the original gift. As we were speaking it was amazing that about a dozen white swans flew past along the river….a wonderful “fly past”.

(The “Black Swan” statue was presented to the City of Worcester approx 14 years ago in celebration of the twinning with Kleve in Germany. This is the second casting because the original was stolen some years ago. The sculptor is Dieter Von Levetzow. © Copyright Derek Bradley and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)

Sunday 28^th: Another day of rest!! Well, not quite as I had to catch up with some editing jobs for the South Sudan Medical Journal (SSMJ). South Sudan gained its independence only recently. The SSMJ is the only regular quarterly medical journal easily available: it is a privilege to be on the Editorial Board with colleagues in South Sudan and the UK. See www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com

Monday 15th: Twenty two Italian students came for a tour of the Guildhall. They were here on a month’s English Language Course including cultural and educational visits. One is never quite sure if the presentation has been sufficiently appropriate for the particular audience. Have I taken into account the standard of the visitors’ English and above all have I made the history interesting enough to hold the attention? I am always relieved after these tours to have favourable feedback. Descent into the cells is never without interest. These cells may have their origins in the Tudor era although the present ones probably date from 1721 when the Guildhall was rebuilt. They were used to hold prisoners awaiting trial in the Court Room above.

Tim Clark, of the Worcester Standard, and I had our routine monthly meeting in the parlour when we discussed recent and forthcoming events. It’s always a pleasure Tim: it makes one realise just how much is going on!

As part of the Worcester Festival there was a Choral Mass celebrated at Old St. Martin’s Church. A most uplifting experience.

Tuesday 16th: No mayoral duties but plenty of other things to keep me busy! First thing I chaired the committee of colleagues organising the next visit to Adentan Municipal Assembly in Ghana. The plan for the week next month is gradually coming together. There will be a huge amount to do in those few days: assistance with forming a “Federation of Small Businesses”, enhancing their production of a local newspaper (“Adentan News”), a course on how to run business efficiently and the beginning of a “Master Plan” for Adentan.

I chaired the Committee of the Worcestershire Branch of the Oxford University Society this evening. We’re planning a visit to Bletchley Park next month: the home of the vital team that broke the “Enigma” code. The Germans used the Enigma machine during the Second World War to keep communications secret. The machine is an electro-mechanical device based on a series of rotating ‘wheels’ so that text is scrambled into incoherent ciphertext. The key is to determine how the machine has been set up then the ciphertext can be interpreted. Some Polish mathematicians managed to get hold of a machine before the War and code breakers at Bletchley Park managed to crack the Enigma code. It is likely that this achievement shortened the War by two years.

Wednesday 17th: Each year recruits to the Army receive their certificates of selection. The ceremony is held in the Guildhall. I met Major H.L.Kennedy, MBE, Rifles, Area Recruiting Officer and Warrant Officer 1 Dale Norman this morning to plan this important event.

Thursday 18th: Viewing the riverside from the river itself is quite revealing. This is what Jane and I experienced when we joined the Rotary Club of Worcester for its Annual River Cruise for the elderly and less able. Everyone had a most enjoyable and relaxing few hours as we sailed south from North Quay and some distance beyond Kempsey. The new Diglis foot/cycle footbridge looks most elegant. The riverside of the “southern loop” is such an asset and a marked improvement from a year or so ago.

Friday 19th: Councillor Barry MacKenzie-Williams died on 14th January 2010. He was first elected to the City Council in 2002 and served on the cabinet from 2003 becoming deputy leader in 2006. A devoted servant of the City and as one councillor said at the time he was a “voice of reason”. It was therefore very fitting for a lasting memorial for Barry to have a bench placed on South Quay near the fountains and beside the river.

The Right Reverend Christopher Mayfield (retired Bishop of Manchester) conducted a short service of dedication today in lovely sunshine.

Councillor Roger Knight spoke words for all of us saying “How fitting it is to have this memorial to Barry in a location he enjoyed and in a city he loved and served. Barry was a good man, a good Councillor and more importantly a good friend. He achieved more in his life by far than most people would in three lifetimes, yet was quite humble about this, to learn of his life one had to drag information from him and as he spoke the significance of his achievements never failed to impress. I miss him as do our colleagues.”