Worcester Massachusetts

As a city we are twinned with five communities, including Worcester, Massachusetts.

Over the pond there is a group of gentleman, who have been meeting once a year every year for 25 years, in Worcester, Massachusetts.

This year they plumped for us, the original Worcester and what a genuine pleasure it was to meet them!

They arrived at the Guildhall in grey matching hoodies all bearing the Worcester coat of arms.

They had gone to the time and trouble to explore our history and thoroughly enjoyed a tour of the Guildhall.

Thank you to our Worcester Sword Bearer for being such an excellent tour guide.

Also this week the Chairman of Worcestershire County Council, Councillor Tracey Onslow and the Chairman of Wyre Forest District Council, Councillor John Byng, hosted a Charity Ball at The Garden Room Stone Manor, in aid of British Heart Foundation.

I sadly lost my grandad to a heart condition which is why, and I am sure will be for many, this is such an important charity and has my full support.

Knowing that the British Heart Foundation is the biggest independent funder of heart and circulatory research and is helping find cures and treatments brings me some comfort.

With my Youth Matters theme, I also very much support the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young which is an advocate for saving young lives.

Meanwhile, The Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Mrs Beatrice Grant; the High Sherriff of Worcestershire, Charles Moyle JP and myself hosted a first county networking event for Mayors, Deputies, Chairs, Vices and key to the event, our Administrators and Clerks, who are a constant and will have seen many of us through our terms of office.

Looking ahead I have secured a regency outfit for my Pride and Prejudice Banquet and understand some other guests have too, all quite exciting!