Monday 21^st: Full Council meeting tomorrow evening so had my routine briefing session with Duncan Sharkey (Managing Director), Doreen Porter (Legal Advisor) and Claire Chaplin (Secretary). These meetings remain important to ensure (as far as possible!!) that we are all aware of any procedural technicalities.

The Worcester Twinning Association held its meeting this evening. Our next main event will be the visit of the Mayor of Kleve during this week beginning 28^th November.

Tuesday 22^nd: The Armed Forces Day plans are really “growing some legs”! Lt. Col. Gerry Taggert came to the parlour this morning to brief us on progress.

The sub-Committee, which I chaired, and set up to consider plans for marking the Centenary, in 2014, of the outbreak of the First World War, met in the Parlour. Numerous ideas were presented but we will still be requesting opinions from everyone. Of special interest are the memories and memorabilia from individuals.

We haven’t had a group photograph of the whole City Council (Councillors, Senior Officers, Sword Bearer and Mace Bearers) for seven years so one was arranged for this evening before Full Council.

I chaired a meeting of Full Council at 7pm. Never an easy task but prior briefings and preparation paid off. It was also sad to make the following two announcements:

Jane Poole was the wife of Frank Poole, Mayor of this City 1985 – 86. Jane died on Sunday 16^th. October. While they were Mayor and Mayoress they lunched with the Queen when she visited Worcester. As Mayoress Jane supported her husband admirably in his civic duties and was both well-known and well-liked. I never knew Jane but from what I have heard she was a wonderful lady.

Basil D’Oliveira died last Friday 19^th November. For many of us he was a cricketing hero. He scored just short of 20,000 runs for Worcestershire and took almost 550 wickets. And of course he contributed to the destruction of apartheid in South Africa.

Wednesday 23^rd: Jane and I set off for London mid-morning to stay overnight with our younger son, William, and his family. This was so that we could take up an invitation from our Member of Parliament, Robin Walker, MP, to dine with him and his wife, Charlotte, in the Strangers’ Dining Room at the House of Commons. A most enjoyable evening in surroundings with so much history.

Thursday 24^th: Back to Worcester without a hitch!

Friday 25^th: The photovoltaic solar panels are fitted to our roof and are working!! So now we generate electricity and pass much of it into the national grid.

Paul Griffith has done a huge amount for the voluntary sector in Worcester and for that he has received the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. This was presented to him in the Mayor’s Parlour this morning by The Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Mrs. Angela Brinton on behalf of Michael Brinton the Lord Lieutenant. Well done Paul.

Left to Right: Deputy Lord Lieutenant Angela Brinton; Mayor of Worcester (me); Mayoress Jane Tibbutt, Paul Griffith MBE and his wife Anne Griffith.

The Nurses’ League Commemorative Window is in place in the Jenny Lind Chapel of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary and now the Worcester City Campus of the University. This window, designed by Nick Upton, a local artist, was paid for by the Worcester Royal Infirmary Nurses’ League as a lasting memorial to all the nurses who worked in the former hospital. A huge effort had gone into the raising of £18,000. It was unveiled today by Henry Sandon, MBE. Jane and I arrived rather late but it was such a joy to meet many friends from the days when I worked at the Worcester Royal Infirmary.

Saturday 26^th: Our 45^th Wedding Anniversary so we took a day off!!

Sunday 27^th: Attended Matins at our own church in Whittington: the first time for a month!

“Whodunnitt” or “Murder Mystery” evenings are great fun. Tony Miller, Chairman of Wychavon District Council, held such a themed event at the Bridges Entertainment Venue. I must admit that I always “arrest” the wrong suspect so I would be useless as a detective! Nevertheless we had a good time and raised a significant amount of money for Tony’s charities “Cross Roads Care” and “Acorns Children’s Hospice”