Digging the first sod in preparation for our new swimming pool was a great honour and a great pleasure, as it means the pool is well and truly on its way!  The chosen contractors are Speller Metcalfe, a locally based giant in the construction industry.

It’s good to know that we have been able to design an eight lane pool at an affordable level of investment. It will be such a great asset to both our City and swimmers in the wider world, and that it is being built by local people working for a local company. Great stuff!!

The Mayoress and I were invited to an event at the University to celebrate extracurricular work of primary schoolchildren and to award them their “graduation” certificates. We hadn’t heard before the event of this opportunity for children – it was lovely to see their efforts being both recognised and rewarded.

This project, called The Worcestershire Children’s University, is managed by the Children’s University Advisory Board and has been running for two years. It encourages children to become much more involved in local activities, undertake projects to help the environment and to get involved in clubs and their activities. On the day we attended, certificates were awarded to children of Abbeywood First School, Matchborough First School and St Barnabas First and Middle school. It was good to see the pride on their faces!

The Trashion Show put on by Oasis School, Warndon, threw a completely new light on “rubbish”. They had turned unwanted items into clothing and had a fashion show to display their very inventive creations. Not only was it fun for the children, but it also taught them quite a lot about recycling and the environment. Apart from all that, it was thoroughly entertaining!

RGS The Grange Carol and Christingle Service in the Cathedral was superb.   I’m often astonished by the confidence young children have in today’s world. To stand before a full congregation in our Cathedral and not only deliver readings, but to sing and play musical instruments, some giving solo performances, would be daunting for an adult, let along a child. Having seen many children in our schools, I think I can say that our future is definitely in safe hands!!

Two other events worthy of note have taken place: the Daisychain Christmas Tree competition where organisations and companies enter trees to raise money for charitable causes – in this case the Children’s Ward at Worcester Royal Hospital, Riverbank Ward. The trees are on display in the Cathedral Cloisters and well worth a visit. The other event was the Jack and the Beanstalk production at Pitmaston School, produced by Alsorts Performing Arts, which was a delight.