One of many pleasures of being your Mayor is that I receive many visitors to The Guildhall.  Groups of local schoolchildren, charities and clubs and overseas visitors marvel at this Grade one listed building and love to hear about its history. They are always impressed by the paintings hanging from the walls and, most of all, by the magnificent ceiling and chandeliers in the Assembly Room.  There is only a handful of other places in this country where it is possible to view a ceiling of the same style, and you have to pay to see them. Ours is the only one which is free!

Many Worcester residents have never been inside our Assembly Room, and I would encourage you to visit with your families and friends. After all, if you are a city council taxpayer, you are paying for it!

I was delighted to invite Fred and Pat Gowenlock.for afternoon tea in the Parlour. Fred has been a very active member of the Salvation Army for many years and was the council’s contact there. Fred shared with me some of the history of the “Sally Army” in Worcester, including a story about an officer imprisoned in the Guildhall cells for three nights!  Thank God their band still plays on our High Street. Christmas would not be the same without it.

Lynn and I enjoyed meeting a group of young people from city high schools, who were about to finish two weeks of voluntary service. These fantastic people completed a challenge from the National Citizen Service and have raised several hundreds of pounds for Acorns Children’s Hospice.

A group of residents in Vauxhall Street invited us to join their barbecue on Saturday. The weather could have been brighter, but it stayed dry. It was good to relax and chat to people in my Rainbow Hill ward; we thank David Kemp for his hospitality.