Worcester University marked World Mental Health Day with an art exhibition and a talk by Art in Mental Health (AIM).The Shrub Hill based charity encourages people with mental health issues to express themselves through art. This seems to help and certainly produced a wonderful exhibition of work.

 Later the same day, again at the university, I was impressed by Chris Husband’s neatly phrased description of teaching as “a matter of complex decision making” and a “deliberative practice.” In other words, good teachers think well on their feet and are thoughtful planners, too.

On Saturday evening, Phil and I sampled gourmet burgers at Worcester’s newest restaurant, The Green Room, in Crowngate. They were excellent! Clearly, this is the burger you can trust.

The Merchant of Venice in the Cathedral was a delight. Liz Grand gave us a clever and flirtatious Portia, Ben Humphrey was hilarious as her frowning Spanish suitor and suitably dignified as the Duke.  Robert Myler delivered an elegantly detailed performance as Shylock. Playgoers may remember the wonderful Jewish actor, the late David Kossoff. I suspect it was Kossoff’s distinctive musical phrasing that gives Myler the key to his character.

Democracy Week at the Guildhall means that we welcome groups of children to the Parlour to hear what a Mayor does and try on the regalia. This year, children from Pitmaston and Gorse Hill Primary Schools visited the Guildhall. They were extremely polite and asked a lot of really interesting questions.