Music, dance, theatre and a little friendly extortion of guests was the order of the day at the Mayor’s Charity Evening. Mack the Knife prowled in the background while young people from the VIth Form, the Jazz Orchestra and Academy Theatre Arts entertained us. Food was from the Mix café and proceeds raised through the generosity of guests in the raffle and auction all go to OnSide and Severn Arts. My thanks to all for a successfully fun night.

I was pleased to visit one of those guests at work at ASPIE the self-help group for people with Asperger’s Syndrome. Another voluntary group run on a shoestring, supported by my predecessor Stephen of course.

Having experienced the effects of dementia in my own family I was pleased to don the Speedos for a length or two getting in the way of Lee Thomas’ marathon 24hour swim at Perdiswell Leisure centre. May entice me to get back into it after mayoring is done.

That family connection was continued when I welcomed visitors from Preston to the Parlour with a copy of Lancashire Life in hand!

Another visit was from a family who had identified their ancestor on the Memorial Boards in the Guildhall but whose name was not marked with a cross, signifying he was killed. After some investigation this has been rectified and its history confirmed in writing. And after our Belgian trip to those Great War fields of mud, how thrilling to see locally grown sculptor John McKenna’s ‘Sentry’ unveiled by the Princess Royal at Norton this week. Tribute goes to the Norton Worcestershire Regiment group finally achieving this royal recognition.

Lastly, connections with an earlier war, but still close to home, when we remembered Richard Shaw of the Battle of Worcester Society at a service in the Cathedral.