I was delighted to attend the final of the Stay Safe design competition, giving schools an opportunity to enter an idea or concept for a phone app that both raises awareness of cyber bullying and helps students to stay safe. The project is led by the Police and Crime Commissioner and supported by our University.  Neil Westwood, the successful Dragon’s Den Magic Whiteboard contender, also supported this project and was one of five judges.

The schools represented at the final, held at the Riverside University Building, were Abbey Park Middle School, Blessed Edward Oldcorne College, St John’s Foundation Middle School and Woodrush High School. The winning team were St John’s Middle School and their project will go on with University support to fruition, but it was very close as all the entrants had done a superb job in drawing together the framework for a successful app.  In fact I thought they were so close that I would have made them all winners and combined their efforts into one joint team!

Each group presented their ideas so well and answered questions with great confidence in front of a crowded lecture hall. Once again this answers the question, “Does Worcester have talent?” Well, if this wasn’t enough to answer the question with a resounding yes, then the production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by Bishop Perowne School, which was brilliant, would have absolutely confirmed that the talent in our schools and colleges is there and being well nurtured by our teaching staff.   Very well done, it was a great production well acted and made for an enjoyable evening and clearly the cast and production team were very enthusiastically engaged and thoroughly enjoying it.

The last few weeks have had me worrying about my decision to replace the annual mayor’s funding dinner with something a little different. In a moment of madness I cancelled the dinner and substituted a Saturday night Frog Racing Event!  To make it work we needed around 80-plus attendees and less than a week prior to the event only 47 had signed up. It was nearly cancelled!  We decided to run with it come what may and on the night over 100 people came. It proved to be a great success with everyone and, apart from having a really good time, we raised £2,700 for our charities and I could breathe again, thank goodness!

I must thank the Cotswold Frog Racing Team for coming to Worcester and for their tremendous input into delivering the most fun evening the Guildhall has witnessed in recent times. Thank you very much indeed and we in Worcester are very grateful.

This organisation, just four people, travel all over the place setting up events like ours and over the years they have raised in excess of £350,000 for charities. They ask nothing in return and contribute enormously to the success of the event. Hopefully one day they may be recognised for the great work they do.