This week started off with Dave and I visiting the Wildgoose Rural Training Centre at Grimley.  What a joyful and encouraging educational setting this is.  It has livestock, gardens, workshops and classrooms for the students to study and enjoy.  All the students we met were engaged in a sponsored walk to raise money for a tarmacked pathway around the facility – and what fun they were having at the same time!  I would like to thank the staff, students, trustees and volunteers who showed us around and made us feel so welcome.  Good luck and I hope you reach your target.

On Monday I was also pleased to welcome some friends into the Parlour.   It is easy to forget how unique a room it is – I do enjoy sharing it with others.  I can also report the Parlour saw its first streaker, little Harry Hatt – albeit he is only four months old!

This week saw another step towards the re-launch of the TalkToMeWorcester initiative.  I recorded a message for the website encouraging everyone to spare a thought for their neighbour – young and old – who might be lonely and isolated and feeling down, especially at this difficult and frightening time.  Have a chat directly or remotely with a neighbour, go for a walk together or think up a new and different way to make contact -you might win a Christmas shopping voucher!  You can find out more about the campaign and how to get involved at  www.talktomeworcester.com .  Go on, give it a go.

Its been a week for recording!  On Thursday I created a message for new staff and took them on a virtual tour of the Guildhall.  I hope that they will watch it and have a happy and productive time with the City Council.  The Guildhall is a beautiful building, which the tour demonstrated.

Winter seems to be setting in and the nights are getting longer.  This is a time of year when we start to prepare for Christmas – but who knows what we will and won’t be allowed to do when Christmas comes?  This is why we must all try to follow the rules which this seemingly endless pandemic is forcing upon us – with the hope that things will get easier as we approach the festive season.