Last Saturday afternoon the mayoress and I attended the Royal Life Saving Society Honours presentation in the Cathedral. These are national awards, and recipients had travelled from as far as the Republic of Ireland and Northern Scotland to attend.

In the evening the Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra held their first concert since the Covid pandemic began, at St. Martin’s Church. The mayoress and I were treated to Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, Beethoven’s Triple Concerto (featuring solo performances by Svetlana Mochalova (Cello), Anne Bolt (Piano) and Martin Cropper (Violin)), and Elgar’s Symphony No. 1.

On Sunday I travelled to Redditch to attend the Borough’s Civic Service. The Mayor Councillor Gareth Prosser’s talented granddaughter performed an excerpt from Roland Dahl’s Matilda, who she is currently playing in the stage musical.

Thursday was Armistice Day.  I joined the ceremony at the War Memorial outside the Cathedral and laid a wreath on behalf of the City of Worcester. In the afternoon I attended an honours presentation in the Guildhall. The presentation was by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Brigadier Roger Brunt CBE to Richard John Campbell, who received an MBE.  British Empire Medals were also presented to Tonia Enderbury, the Chief Officer of Droitwich CVS and Craig Browne, vice-chairman of Droitwich Rugby Club.

On Friday afternoon the mayoress and I went to Sixways to attend the Cecil Duckworth Memorial Lunch. Back in 2009 when my wife was mayor, he was granted Freedom of the City of Worcester.

Finally, on the Friday evening we went to Worcester Sixth Form College to see their dazzling production of Chicago.