We said farewell to Ruth Mullen this last week; she has been with the Council for just short of five years and was the Corporate Director for Service Delivery. I worked very closely with Ruth during her time with us, particularly when I was the Cabinet Member for a Cleaner and Greener City. Ruth was always helpful and focussed on resident and visitor needs. Under her leadership her Team grew in both confidence and strength, increasing in performance and service to our great City.

Ruth is off to West Wales where apparently she will need to be able to speak Welsh; I wish her luck with that – as although there is a lot of Welsh blood in my family, the most I could ever grasp was “Nos da”; or ‘good night’ in English! Good luck Ruth – and thank you for your tremendous contribution to Worcester.

I was present at an unusual event in the Guildhall on the 4 November, when Mr Key was awarded the British Empire Medal, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, by the Lord Lieutenant. He is a member of the Worshipful Order of Turners, one of the oldest Livery Companies in the City of London. The Turners’ Company was already a Guild in the 12th Century. To this day the Company continues to celebrate and support the art or ‘mysterie’ of turning.

Mr Key has spent many years passing on his skills and working in a voluntary capacity to encourage others to take up and enjoy the craft.  In 1987 he established the Association of Woodturners Great Britain, and was its President until 2013.  He has also presided over an ongoing programme of national and international seminars and exhibitions.  Because of his hard work and dedication, the Association now has over 3,500 members.

Remembrance Sunday was a very moving experience; Worcester saw the greatest turnout of people lining Cathedral Square and the streets that I’ve ever experienced. The Cathedral Service was very well planned, perfect to the last detail and executed with just one hiccup! The multi faith candles just would not light – well, one lit out of four, as the wicks of the other three proved too short to hold a flame. The sermon was very well delivered by Cannon Michael Brierley, and it was very appropriate.

Following the Service and the Wreath laying ceremony, the procession back to the Guildhall was heart warming as there were so many people who had turned out to remember and honour the fallen. It was great to see our City live up to its reputation as the “Faithfull City”.