Mayor of Worcester Blog

Wednesday was the longest day. I had to get up half an hour before I went to bed and saw the sun set, on a hill with it in my hands.

In my determination to spread festive cheer I visited the City Council’s Warndon depot to thank the guys who empty our bins every day, rain or shine. They are collecting gifts you give them, for kids in hospital. Then it was on to the Street Scene crew, ready to go out cutting, trimming and tidying. It was still dark when I got home!

Next, the Art Gallery, with another crafty sneak at the Canalettos, and then opening the Parlour to greet the Council’s city-based staff, like the Enforcement Team.

In the dwindling daylight I held the Sun on a pole as revellers threw last year’s woes on the Solstice fire. And amazingly, it rose again on Thursday.

Emergency Services are quite rightly very much in the news at the moment and this was recognised at a packed Carol Service, led by the High Sheriff, with music from the Chamber Choir.

Carols again, by virtue of the Worcester News. As I read my passage about Narnia and the weakening of the Witch I could see rapt faces right to the back of the Cathedral. Thanks to Little Al for the mince pies afterwards.

The Made In Worcester film project aired in the Guildhall with the most extraordinary young talent showing variety and expertise, creating a nascent film industry here. I hope you get to see them more widely.

The week began not planting a tree in Cripplegate Park, and ended in The Commandery, via several of our city’s iconic sights, many captured in the films I mentioned. However you enjoy, or cope with, the next few days, take time out to appreciate what we have around us in Worcester. Ho ho ho.

The tree has gone up in the Mayoral household, just a few weeks after one arrived in the Parlour! Lights to follow…

Elsewhere, Christmas is coming quicker than you can fatten a goose.

RGS The Grange Christingle service went very well in the Cathedral where the talented choirs of various ages were on show. Safety implications of candles and long hair in bunches were safely managed and families, friends and guests enjoyed a lovely evening.

The following night the Worcester Festival Chorus gave a grand rendition of Handel’s Messiah. Always a seasonal favourite, the orchestra, soloists and chorus were excellent, and there’s nothing like standing for the Hallelujah!  to get cold blood moving again. There were only surreptitious glances at mobile phones as the evening’s football news crept in.

We went to Perrywood School Christmas fete and managed to win a couple of things on the tombola and support some of the other stalls. Great atmosphere in the winter sunshine and great to see kids and their families enjoying being in crowds again.

I have been spreading my own Yuletide cheer amongst city council staff, at Astwood Cemetery and Trinity Street Housing Office. As councillors we do not say thank you to our staff often enough. The staff awards evening apparently went well and I was very pleased to hear that the Civic Team had won an award. Visible only on big occasions with their maces and swords and bright suits and buttons, they have had an unusually busy year with everything to do with the Jubilee, the protocols and services following the Queen’s death, standing guard while the Condolence Books were available into the evenings, and subsequent Proclamations. And they have to put up with me.

Finally, a sad event at ex-councillor Robert Peachey’s funeral. RIP Captain Bob.

 

 

Being Worcester Mayor is not just about Worcester. It is about promoting the city for visitors, including through the International Students Team at the University. It’s also about supporting other local civic events and their charities and the valuable work they do.

Two examples this week – firstly, we went to the Ledbury Civic Service, where the mayor is supporting Strong Young Minds, a project for mental health amongst young people. Secondly we attended a charity dinner with Redditch mayor. The meal was all prepared and cooked by young students at HoW College, and in support of Touchstones, a local charity offering bereavement counselling to young people.

My own Charities On Side and Severn Arts received a boost this week from a concert given by the fabulous Elgar Chorale. Readings and carols went down well with a mince pie, and they even gave us an encore!

I was invited to honour individual work in the voluntary and community sector at the presentation of two British Empire Medals by the Lord Lieutenant. One for setting up an enterprise for people with learning disabilities, and the other for nursing innovation with kidney patients.

Other sorts of business and development have also been on show this week, including the transformation of the old Fire Station building into apartments. Then, wandering around the Victorian Fayre, both traders and visitors said how wonderful it was to be back in such a friendly place and numbers were certainly high over last weekend. Supporting Small Businesses, we visited several new and independent retailers making their mark on Worcester, from bread to chilli, bubble tea to botox.

And most inspiringly, the talent and enthusiasm at the Young Enterprise Trade event at the Cathedral where school students plied us with their ideas and products. Times are tough right now but there is some hope in their future.

 

Well, it’s here again. For the thirtieth year, Worcester’s fantastic Victorian Christmas Fayre is back. And yes, I still feel pleased at being part of the decisions back then to have a go at a huge public festive event, and I am of that part that thinks bringing 100,000 people and millions of pounds into the local economy over one weekend is a good thing.

Only a week ago I was “turning on” the city lights as Santa’s little helper. This week, the fayre. It’s beginning to feel a lot like…

Thirty years is a long time but you have to plan for the future. That’s exactly what we were doing on Brickfields Park where with the help of children from Tudor Grange, members of the Afro-Caribbean Society, Worcester Community Trust and funded by Ward councillors, we planted a range of trees as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to improve our environment.

In another event planning for the future of our young people, we supported the Army Cadets Association and particularly the instructors and leaders who encourage youngsters to challenge themselves and their environment. And I was also really pleased to give out awards to teaching assistants in local schools at an event sponsored by my own trade union, UNISON. TAs are as much supported by their teachers as supporting them in the classroom these days and it was great to demonstrate that recognition.

As mayor you sit as a trustee for the year of the Royal Worcester Porcelain Museum and it was really interesting to see the workings of such a fascinating and popular local independent museum steeped in Worcester’s social, artistic and industrial history. Some modern art was on show at the Artery Gallery, one of the Arches that are rapidly becoming part of the wider city arts milieu and a key part of the opening up of the railway arches walk from Foregate Street Station to the riverside.

Finally, in keeping with the Season, Full Council was a mix of pathos and pantomime. And loud car horns. Catch it on youtube while you still can!