I’m sure it’s not just me that’s being affected by this dull, depressing January and all its attendant bad news, and as weeks go, this has been something of a roller-coaster – up one minute, down the next.

But at least, it has seen some heartening events and with them, the promise of brighter things to come here in the fairest City in the land!

One such is the Worcester City Run to be held in September.  The ball was set in motion on Friday when athletics legend and chief-mover, Olympian Steve Cram, visited for the launch of the seventh run and call for runners to take part.  ‘You’ve got to be in it to win it!’, as someone more eloquent than me once put it.

Part of the launch had been a drum-beating photoshoot on board a dragon-boat opposite the Cathedral, and drums were also well to the fore at the second event of the day.  This was Bewdley Mayor Cllr John Byng’s Youth Music Showcase, a fundraising event featuring some staggering performances from schools and colleges that made three hours pass by in what felt like minutes. Thoroughly enjoyable entertainment and a good sum raised for his charities, I’m hearing.

Another three hours were pleasurably spent the next day when twenty potential Army Reserve Officers and four directing staff from 214 Battery Royal Artillery dropped into the Parlour as part of the Regiment’s ‘Exercise Cultural Dragon’ – exposure to all aspects of British culture rightly considered a key element in every potential officer’s development.

Continuing the Army theme, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Monday rendered me speechless and drained of all emotions.  90 year-old survivor Mindu Hornick gave a moving account and made a deep impression on the entire Guildhall audience, not a soul left untouched by what they’d heard.  I can think of no greater cause than to keep reminding people, the younger generations particularly, about the dangers arising from the universal disgrace of intolerance – Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism in particular.  In that, the event succeeded admirably.

Next week: more good news about fundraising events for my various charities.