Some you win, some you lose – and if someone hoped they’d be a winner by wearing something knitted by the Mayor of Worcester, sorry folks! I tried knitting for the first time ever and failed, discovering my complete inability to put even two stitches together on a visit to Wotahoot yarn shop and tea room at 56 Lowesmoor. Luckily, there are some very skilled knitters around, and here’s where they meet. Later the same day, I enjoyed fascinating chats with more skilled and inspirational heroes and heroines at ASPIE, the social self-help and motivation group for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome.

When I was invited to the Great National Steeplechase in Worcester, visions of racehorses thundering through the streets were pleasantly dashed when it was revealed that the event was actually a bid by Churches Conservation Trust’s chief Peter Aiers to visit 50 churches in as many hours! That tied in nicely with an opportunity to see the impressive on-going works at St Swithun’s Church, which is being transformed into an arts and cultural space in the heart of our city.

Showing visitors around our Guildhall is something I always enjoy, more so than ever when fuelled by the sheer joy of 30 female students and their translators from Tokyo, all of them enchanting in national costume. I tried to say welcome (‘Yokoso’) in Japanese 30 times and it came out different every time.

Talking of colour and spectacle, the opening of the Three Choirs Festival never ceases to thrill and amaze. This year is Gloucester’s turn; we three mayors and our civic attendants were resplendent and so proud to represent our respective cities.

It was a pleasure to meet again Claire Jackson of Platform Housing to hear about the encouraging future of housing in the city. The organisation has already invested £1million in Worcester and I hear there’s more to come.

And then, with Ramadhan safely behind us, I enjoyed a lively session to celebrate Eid and the end of the fasting season with Ruth Haywood’s ladies at Horizon Community Centre.

With so much going on, is it any wonder I love this city so much?