Do you have a child or grandchild who returned to school this week?  I think most of us will know of a young person who has been studying at home and is now returning to school.  Some of them will be reluctant to return enjoying the freedom that being at home brings and some will be overjoyed at the thought of seeing their friends again.  I think, however, that even though our teachers have been fantastic in setting work and zooming lessons, it is not easy to keep young people fully engaged remotely and they are now back where they should be.

You will remember the summer of 2018 when the city was privileged to host a gathering of animals you would not normally expect to see in a Cathedral City.  Every corner we turned delighted us with yet another treat.  I am of course talking about the beautifully decorated giraffes which graced our city that summer.  I am pleased to say that Worcester is once again set to host a pride of animals which will decorate our streets and grace our avenues with their colour and beauty.

This summer it will be elephants which we will spot in the city;  I am very much looking forward to the “hunt”!  This week I looked through 100 designs that have been submitted for the competition to decorate the elephants.  It was with great difficulty that I chose three designs which I felt would look good on Worcester City Council’s sponsored elephant.  I enjoyed being involved in such an exciting project and welcome the benefit that St. Richard’s Hospice will gain from the adventure.

My mind now turns to another competition organised by Worcester Live. As part of an Arts Council funded outreach project, 30 participants have submitted photos of winter scenes and once again I am spoilt by the beauty of the entries and finding a best will be very difficult.  Winter may be beautiful, but roll on better weather.