Mayor of Worcester Blog

Monday 8th: “Two Pennies Money Advice” (previously called “Community Advice Support and Help”) is a small charity but does a great deal of work with those who get into financial difficulties. It also runs courses to try to prevent money problems occurring or re-occurring. I met with Neal Murphy who wanted to discuss future ideas.

Tuesday 9th: The Chairman of the Three Choirs Festival, Sir Michael Perry and Lady Perry, held a pre-concert Reception on the Old Palace lawn this evening. It is such a privilege to meet those who are working so hard for this Festival.

Wednesday 10th: Cllr. Jo Hodges (Chairman of the Worcester Twinning Association), Cllr. Roger Berry (Deputy Mayor), Cllr. Roger Knight (Deputy leader of the City Council), Doreen Porter and I met this morning to discuss a request from the Mayor of Ukmerge, our twinned city in Lithuania. This centred on what we could offer in terms of help and advice  on how we run our council. A number of ideas were debated including several that we had used when our colleagues from the Adentan Municipal Assembly came here in February. We also discussed how we can assist with the 25th Anniversary International Week of Twinning in September next year.

Mr. Frankie Tsang is chairman of the Worcester Chinese Association. I was delighted to welcome him, Mr. Gu Yawei (the Chairman of Tongling Society for Returned Overseas Chinese) and five colleagues to the parlour. They were fascinated by the story of the Guildhall and past Mayors. Tongling is located in Eastern China and spans the Yangtze River. It has produced copper since 256BC and is now the Copper Production Base in China. “Tong” means “copper” and “Ling” means “hilltop”: so a very apt name for this city. It has a “small” population of “only” 740,000. There are 20,000,000 people within an hour’s drive!!

Thursday 11th: For half an hour before Evensong in the Cathedral Peter Dyke gave a magnificent organ recital. All five pieces were new to me. Evensong is a liturgy used in the Anglican Communion. Originally it was formed by combining the Roman Catholic Vespers and Compline. Choral Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer lends itself to a wonderful variety of musical scholarship. This is what was heard this evening in the Cathedral when Hereford Cathedral Choir. It was a delight to be there.

Friday 12th: A Reception this evening on the Old Palace Lawn was followed by a Three Choirs Concert. Two works were performed: “An Oxford Elegy” by Ralph Vaughan Williams for which The Dean, The Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, acted as narrator and Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem. It was an outstanding experience. A firework display and then a Dinner completed the evening well passed our bed time!!

Saturday 13th: The final and 64th. Concert of the Three Choirs Festival: “A Night at the Opera” in the Cathedral. It was a musical extravaganza with works by Rossini, Mozart, Wagner, Verdi and Borodin. Adrian Lucas (Conductor and Artistic Director), The Festival Chorus and the Philharmonia Orchestra placed Worcester at the centre of excellence. The packed Cathedral was enthralled and the applause lasted and lasted. Jane and I hosted the traditional end of festival Supper for the Festival Chorus in the Guildhall. It was clear that this has probably been one of the most successful Three Choirs Festivals ever with record seat sales. Sir Michael Perry, Adrian Lucas and everyone involved must be congratulated: as the President of the Three Choirs Festival Association, HRH The Prince of Wales, says in his letter published in the 2011 Festival programme: “The music on offer is, as always, a rich blend of the comfortably familiar and the intriguingly new, and the choice of ensembles and artists strikes a parallel balance between maturity and youth”.

Now that was a week that was! Worcester City really has shown its cultural prowess. In spite of the “recession” people came to Worcester from all over the country and world to attend the oldest Classical Music Festival. Our Three Choirs Festival (Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford) has been running for almost three hundred something of which we should all be very proud.

A little piece of interesting history I only discovered in the last few days. Hubert Leicester was Mayor of Worcester five times in 1904 – 05 and 1913 – 15. He was a friend of Elgar and closely associated with the Festival Chorus. We have discovered a large and magnificent portrait of Leicester in the City Museum’s store room and I am hoping that eventually it can be hung here in the Guildhall.

Monday 1^st: Lt. Colonel Gerry Taggart, Royal Engineers (Retired), and I continued our discussions about what may be done on Armed Forces Day next year (30^th June). We hope that the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will all be involved.

The Rotary Club of Worcester and the Mayor holds a joint charity event each year. We met this morning to continue the planning for Friday 10^th February 2012. It will be the Diamond Jubilee celebration year for the Queen’s accession to the throne.

Tuesday 2^nd: I met with representatives of the three charities (Leukaemia Care, Noah’s Ark and Worcester Farmers’ Overseas Action Group) that I am supporting this mayoral year. Arrangements for two key events are gradually taking shape. A “Murder Mystery Evening” on Friday 14^th October and a “Business School Evening” at the Castle Street campus of the University on Wednesday 9^th May 2012: this will include a talk on a medical history topic. Pencil these dates in your diaries.

With the numerous engagements that the Mayor undertakes it would be easy to become out of touch with City Council activities. So that is why I have a regular meeting with the Managing Director, Duncan Sharkey and the Leader, Cllr. Simon Geraghty. We met in the parlour this afternoon.

Wednesday 3^rd: The Worcester Warriors were promoted to the Premiership on 18^th May a day after I became Mayor: no connection assumed or intended! The City is so proud of the team. I invited Mr Cecil Duckworth and the whole squad to the Guildhall for celebration and congratulations. Yes! Let’s shout it loudly: this is yet another one of Worcester’s achievements. Now we must do our part and get right behind the Warriors and cheer them on to even greater success.

Thursday 4^th: “Positive 50+” offers advice and information for the “over 50’s”…well, that counts me in! Jane and I were shown around an exhibition in the Guildhall by Jo Merrett. There was a wide variety of important subjects covered: from “Care and Repair”, how and when to change your television over to “digital” (visit www.digitaluk.co.uk/retuning), “Sight Concern Worcestershire” to Worcestershire DAAT (Drug and Alcohol Action Team). In my career I have seen the devastating effects of excess alcohol consumption on individuals, families and communities quite apart from the avoidable costs to the NHS and tax payer. Take a look at www.drinkaware.co.uk and www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol.

The parapet of the bridge over Barbourne Brook, just as it enters Gheluvelt Park, was damaged a few years ago. When repairs were carried out one of the central coping stones was not replaced. So the Friends of Gheluvelt Park and the Worcester City Council got together. James Blackwell, a senior Planning Officer, investigated the history and found the plans dated about 1885. The Masons of Worcester Cathedral were contacted with this information and, after obtaining stone from the original quarry source, a replacement coping stone was created. The skill that the mason, James Robinson, put into this is just amazing. With James, Friends of Gheluvelt Park and colleagues from Worcester City Council, I had the pleasure of unveiling this work of art.

Friday 5^th: The 9^th Worcester Festival begins tomorrow. A Champagne Launch was hosted by Chris Jaeger, the Festival Director, in the Swan Theatre this evening. It really is going to be a fantastic three weeks (6^th – 29^th August) with over 540 events, 80% of which are free!! The biggest ever. Remember that this “is not a music festival, nor indeed an arts festival, but just……..a festival”. More information on www.worcesterfestival.co.uk.

Saturday 6^th: This has been a day to remember!! The Opening Service for the Three Choirs Festival took place in the Cathedral with representatives from our three counties: Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire. Fantastic music and singing by Worcester Cathedral Choir. A brilliant sermon by the Right Reverend Peter Price, Bishop of Bath and Wells. After processing back to the Guildhall we held a luncheon jointly hosted by the Dean of Worcester, The Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, and myself as Mayor of Worcester. This was the first time that we have co-hosted this event and it went well. A clash of timing meant that there was a little competition with the Bollywood Brass Band that was performing in the High Street outside the Guildhall.

Jane and I managed to get away just in time to attend the 2011 Worcester City Flower Show in Gheluvelt Park. I had been invited to present the cups to the prizewinners: and very worthy they were too.

Fascinating and beautiful displays were exhibited including some delightful miniature orchids and insect eating plants… I had not realised that there were so many hundreds of varieties. A selection of photos from the 2011 Flower Show can be found on the Worcester Parks Facebook page.

Monday 25^th: The feedback on the Mayor’s Banquet last Friday (22^nd. July) has been most gratifying.

Seven French children (aged 11 – 13 years) from Le Vesinet, France, were brought by the North Worcester Venture Scheme to site-see the Guildhall. As always the visit to the cells under the Guildhall was a spooky highlight.

A few days to spare!! An opportunity to “recharge our batteries”. This next fortnight promises to be busy and exciting especially with the “Three Choirs Festival”. We have had our “half-Japanese” four year old twin grand-daughters to stay…so much for recharging our batteries as theirs seem to have unlimited energy!! They are almost bilingual: then we’ll be in trouble.

Also managed to get more planning done for the City Council’s team going to the Adentan Municipal Assembly, a District Council in Ghana, in September. This is to continue the DfID-funded “Local Economic Development” project which has been progressing so well over this last year. It just goes to show how much can be achieved with keen volunteers and a small financial resource. Thank you everyone, you are a great team.

Friday 29^th: “Half a Sixpence” is a musical based on the novel “Kipps” by H G Wells. The Worcester Operatic & Dramatic Society Youth Section (WODYS) put on a production this evening to which Jane and I were invited. It was brilliant! To see the skills of these young people was a delight. Congratulations to David Humphries (Director and Producer) and the whole WODYS’ team. Yet another example of what Worcester has to contribute to our local culture.

Saturday 30^th: The President, Rotarian Anne Pooley, of the Rotary Club of Worcester (of which the Mayor becomes a member for his / her year)  held a lunch at her home in Great Witley. A very relaxed and pleasant occasion on a lovely sunny day in our glorious Worcestershire countryside.

The City of Worcester Twinning Association held its annual Cheese and Wine Party this evening courtesy of Mrs. Nicolette Neville-Lee. “Thank you” Nicolette. It is important for members to get together to chat informally about our common interests of “twinning” with towns in Europe and the USA.

Sunday 31^st: The Annual Civic Service for the town of Ledbury and its Mayor, Cllr. Allen Conway, took place this afternoon. The procession to St. Michael’s & All Angels Church was led by the Town Crier along the narrow cobbled Church Lane. The Service included readings from John Masefield’s poetic works. Masefield (1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was born in Ledbury and became Poet Laureat of the United Kingdom from 1930 until his death. The Reverend Canon John Atkinson gave the address on the subject of “Nothing” in other words on what some people just do not have. Masefield’s “Wonderings” poem is rather apt:

“I never crossed the town without the sight

Of withered children suffering from the blight …

And starving groups in rags, with boots unsoled,

Blear eyed, and singing ballads in the cold”

My, how things have changed!

Monday 18th: I think we should do more for Armed Forces Day next year. So with that in mind I met Lt. Colonel Gerry Taggart, Royal Engineers (Retired), in the parlour to discuss possible activities. We plan to meet again.

Tim Clark, of the “Worcester Standard” came for our routine chat about recent mayoral activities and what may be forthcoming.

Headway Worcester Trust Ltd. “provides the only specialist community services in South Worcestershire for people suffering from acquired brain injury, traumatic brain injury and related physical and mental disabilities”. This is a vital service and Jane and I were pleased to attend the AGM chaired by the President David Birtwhistle. It was also an education to see the art work and carpentry which is of immense value to those whom “Headway” supports.

Tuesday 19th: Giving a presentation to a group whose first language is not English is not always easy. You need to think clearly using short uncomplicated sentences and to speak more slowly than usual. That is not being condescending but rather putting yourself in the listeners’ shoes. This was essential when I gave a tour of the Guildhall to two groups of French students (aged 14 – 16 years) here on a language education course.

If the voluntary sector were to disappear the community would become inward looking and selfish and the economic consequences for the nation would be serious indeed. The Worcester Volunteer Centre, directed by the Chief Officer, Sally Ellison, is a vital organisation for the City. Jane and I were grateful to be invited to the AGM. Did you know that 73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteer experience over one without? Worth thinking about!!

Wednesday 20th: Tudor Grange Academy Worcester is on a journey: and what achievements it has attained over these last two years. The KS3 Awards Evening, at which Jane and I were present, was a demonstration of how far it has come. Well done to all the students and the staff.

Thursday 21st: A day of tours of the parlour and Guildhall. This morning I met Joel and Annick Dulphy. Joel is Deputy Mayor of St. George du Bois, Charente-Maritime (near La Rochelle), France. This afternoon 32 Italian students (aged 14 – 17 years) came who are here on an International Study Programme.

Friday 22nd: The annual Inaugural Mayor’s Banquet took place this evening. It was a splendid occasion. The Assembly Room at the Guildhall looked wonderful.

The flower arrangers created the African theme I had requested: this included the beautiful Gloriosa Lily (sometimes also known as the Flame or Fire Lily) which grow wild in East Africa and the Proteas so common in South Africa.

Cllr. Roger Berry, my long standing friend Professor William Littler (Emeritus Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Birmingham) and Chris Jaeger of “Worcester Live” spoke well and Cllr. Sue Askin proposed the Loyal Toast. Theo Theobald, our first Worcestershire Poet Laureate, recited his “Worcestershire Sauce” poem that pointed out its aphrodisiac, cure-all and stain removing properties! The whole evening really did enable us to celebrate the great things about Worcester City and especially what its citizens have done for medical care over hundreds of years. This is part of what I said in my speech:

“Worcester was one of the first cities to establish a County Hospital in 1746 by Bishop Maddox.The building is still there in Silver Street and I hope that it will be restored and incorporated into the Lowesmoor development.”

“A new hospital was designed by Anthony Keck in 1767 and the new Worcester Royal Infirmary was completed a few years later on a large artichoke field near the river. We, of course, now have another brand new hospital. I wonder if that too will still be standing in 200 years!!

“Several doctors and surgeons have been Mayors of this City: Christopher Hebb, William Moore-Ede, and Fred Spalding are just three.  Thomas Carden (died in 1836) was also Mayor: his grandson, Henry Carden, invented the “Carden skin flap” for surgical amputation stumps. A great advance in those days before antibiotics.

“The record is endless for which Worcester can take credit. Dr. William Strange, Medical Officer of Health in the 1850’s, did pioneering work to prevent infections among children. Dr. Tony Vickers advanced the techniques of special lung Xrays in the late 1940’s. Dr. Patrick Kidd collaborated with the world famous haematologist, Dr. Rosemary Biggs, on blood tests in clotting disorders. Mr. “Hamish” Chalmers (in the 1960’s) worked on the vacuum extractor: a novel technique for assisting babies into the world. Dr. Martin Skirrow, who is here tonight, did vital research on the culture of Campylobacter being a very common cause of infective bacterial enteritis. Mr. Paul Smart and I worked on Clinical Audit methods, Worcester Royal Infirmary being one of the first hospitals to do this. Mr. John Black, a great friend and recent Worcester surgeon, was among the first to embrace the techniques of keyhole surgery. He is the most recent past President of the Royal College of Surgeons and sends his apologies for not being here tonight.

“Worcester has been majorly involved with clinical trial research, organised through the University of Oxford, into the use of “clot busting” / thrombolytic therapy and aspirin for acute heart attacks. The reduction in mortality was significant. I remember going to a conference in Atlanta when the results were presented and the thrill at such a major breakthrough.”

A big “Thank You” to Susan O’Kane, my PA, for meticulous organisation, to Plyvine, the caterers for an excellent meal, to Frank our Sword Bearer, the Mace Bearers and all Guildhall staff for making this banquet such a memorable occasion.