Mayor of Worcester Blog

Monday 26^th: Boxing Day and no mayoral engagements.

Originally “Boxing Day” was the day following Christmas when wealthy people would give a gift box to their servants. But now Boxing Day is a public holiday on December 26^th. or the first weekday after Christmas Day. It is the day associated with St Stephen, the patron saint of horses, so Boxing Day became linked with horse-racing and hunting.

Wednesday 28^th: The origins of “Jack and the Beanstalk” may go back to the Vikings. It first appeared in print in 1807. Jane and I were invited to a performance at the Swan Theatre this evening and took our four-year-old twin grand-daughters: it was as much fun watching them as it was the stage!

Sunday 1^st January 2012: Some wonderful news! In the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List was a great friend Sister Helen Spragg. I have known Helen for a long time and seen her work, as a Medical Missionary of Mary, of over ten years from the Kirambi Health Centre in Rwanda. She has transformed the health of the Community and the Batwa people in particular. She richly deserves this MBE.

Sister Helen Spragg

Map of Rwanda, including Kirambi

We approach 2012 concerned about the economy but let us not allow that to dim our anticipation of so many good things: the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Olympic Torch coming through Worcester, the Games themselves, the completion of the Library and History Centre, the University’s Arena.

Let us also not forget those worse off than us especially in Africa. International aid may be controversial but properly targeted an enormous amount of good can be done with remarkably little resource. Worcester has contributed in no small way. The Worcester Farmers’ Overseas Action Group has assisted communities in Uganda, the Worcester City Council, funded by DfID, has made a significant difference to the economic development of a Ghanaian district council and I have worked with others assisting Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda.

My next mayor’s fund-raising event with the Rotary Club of Worcester is on Friday, 10^th February: “A Diamond Celebration Dinner” in the Guildhall. It should be great fun as a “posh street party”. Do come. Book your places through the Mayor’s office: 01905 722001 or susan.okane@worcester.gov.uk.

I have just finished reading “The Story of Worcester” by Pat Hughes and Annette Leach launched in the Commandery in October. The detail is amazing. I was struck especially by the very last paragraph: “The city flourishes and is a delightful place to live, large enough to have adequate amenities and set in attractive, easily accessible, countryside. Its history is fascinating; its future is in our hands. To borrow the motto from the Royal Grammar School, “Respice et Prospice” – “Remember the past and look to the future”.

Monday 19^th: The City Council’s  Local Economic Development project (funded by the Department for International Development) with the Adentan Municipal Assembly in Ghana has been a great success. Officially it has now ended and our “Final Project Report” has been sent to the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF). However there is a significant resource left over and we are hoping that the CLGF will approve our using it to take forward a Master Planning initiative in Adentan. With that in mind I met James Blackwell, an officer in our Planning Department, to discuss the next possible steps.

Christmas is a time to bring as many colleagues together so I was pleased that a number from the City Council took up my invitation to come to the Parlour in their lunch break to share some festive cheer. We really do have a great team working for the City: I am proud of every one of them!

Students from The Regency High School Sports College came to sing in the City after which Jane and I were delighted to welcome them to the Parlour. As always children are so interested in the treasures.

The Worcester District Scout Carol Service took place in the Cathedral this evening. This was combined with a special interpretation of the “Nativity”. The readers were excellent although there were times when the acoustics didn’t do them justice. Well done to them all.

Tuesday 20^th: “A Celebration of Christmas” for the Worcester College of Technology was held at 11am. in the beautiful All Saints Church (Deansway). I have lived in Worcester for 35 years and this is the first time I have been into All Saints….what an admission!!

Wednesday 21^st: The Cathedral was packed this evening and that included the side aisles. This was the occasion of the “Worcester News” Traditional Christmas Carol Service. The Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, Dean of Worcester, welcomed the congregation and then followed a magnificent service. As always the Cathedral Choir was outstanding. This was truly a community event! Afterwards Peter John, Editor of the ”Worcester News”, brought his team and guests to the Parlour for “mulled wine and minced pies”.

Thursday 22^nd: It is important to support local companies so I was pleased to attend a reception given by “Titania” at their offices in the County House, St. Mary’s Street. “Titania” is indeed a rapidly expanding software development company trading worldwide and “bucking the economic gloom and doom”.

There are no words to adequately describe the wonder of The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in the Cathedral this evening. The huge congregation enjoyed music by The Boy Choristers and Lay Clerks of the Worcester Cathedral Choir, Christopher Allsop and George Castle at the Organ and Jonathan Holland playing the Trumpet with Adrian Lucas conducting.

Saturday 24^th: The usual “last minute” dash to get everything ready for Christmas…only this year it was even more “last minutish”!!

Our son William arrived around 11pm. with his wife Yuri and four-year-old twin daughters, Kimi and Yumi. Mercifully this meant that that slept late the next morning!!

Sunday 25^th: It is a long time since I have been to hospital on Christmas Day. Jane and I were invited to tour the Worcestershire Royal Hospital this morning. It was a pleasure to greet the staff and patients… five babies (all girls!!) born already today and four more expected.

The rest of the day was spent in our traditional Christmas family way.

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I was elected Mayor on 17^th May 2011: how quickly the time has passed. Jane and I have enjoyed every moment of more than 300 engagements.

The “View from the Parlour” is a privilege. We have met large numbers of people of all ages and backgrounds from across Worcester all of whom love our City. Visitors from many parts of the world, and especially our twinned towns in Europe and USA, have said how much they enjoy Worcester. This was clearly shown during the recent very successful Victorian Fayre.

Music has formed a large part of our enjoyment over these last seven months: The Three Choirs Festival, The Worcester Festival, The Music Festival, concerts by the Worcester Festival Choral Society, Worcester Male Voice Choir and Elgar School of Music; the Cathedral Choirs and performances by schools such as Tudor Grange, Bishop Perowne and The Royal Grammar School.

Then all the entertainment that “Worcester Live” provides through The Swan Theatre and Shakespeare at the Commandery. And of course the first Worcestershire Literary Festival.

The expanding University, The new Library and History Centre in “The Hive” (yes, I do like it!!), the renewed Riverside… I constantly receive favourable comments about all of these.

I take the opportunity, at this time of giving, to express my sincere thanks to everyone involved with fund-raising for my Mayor’s charities: Worcester Farmers’ Overseas Action Group and Leukaemia Care. In spite of these difficult financial times people have been so generous.

The Mayoralty cannot function efficiently without a lot of support. My PA, Susan O’Kane, continues to run an efficient office and Rachel Conway has done an outstanding job during Susan’s absence. I am also indebted to Frank Southam, my Sword-Bearer, the mace-bearers and other members of the Guildhall staff who are always on hand to help.

We have stated aspirations to become a First Rank Cathedral and University City… I think we are one already!!

The Mayoress and I wish you all a Very Happy New Year.

Monday 12^th: The day began by assisting the Worcester Virgornia Rotary Club to deliver Christmas parcels to the lonely and needy in various parts of the City.

The “Carols at County Hall” took place at noon in the Council Chamber. A most enjoyable occasion accompanied by Haybridge High School and Hagley Primary School.

Tuesday 13^th: Claire Neville of the City Council’s Communications Department came to the Parlour to interview me in order to put together a “Mayoral piece” for the Council’s magazine “City Life”.

New employees of the City Council receive a routine induction course. Included is a session with the Mayor so it was a pleasure to welcome fifteen new colleagues and show them the treasures of the Parlour and Guildhall.

Lt. Col. Gerry Taggert, Cllr. Roger Berry and I met to plan a briefing meeting on Thursday concerning ideas for Armed Forces Day in June next year.

The University held its Christmas Season Reception in the new Riverside Building. A great occasion to celebrate what the University is achieving, its expansion and the building of the Worcester Arena. All these assets are and will become so important for our City.

In the evening Jane and I attended The Bishop Perowne Church of England College Carol Service in the Cathedral. The College Chamber Choir, orchestra and readers were really special. Yes, another example of Worcester’s musical prowess.

Wednesday 14^th: Nativity plays are for the joy of children and the pride of their parent. That is what Jane and I saw when we were invited to see “The Nativity” performed by the St. Peters Pre-school in St. Peters Village Hall.

Nativity Play (Wikipedia)

The plethora of carol services with their high attendance is a reflection that, yes, we are at heart still a Christian country. Jane and I attended the Bromsgrove District Council and Churches Together Community Carol Service this evening. The Spadesbourne Suite, which is a large hall, was packed. Children of Finstall First School formed the choir.

Thursday 15^th: Armed Forces Day briefing of a wide number of interested parties. Now the hard work begins to try to make it all a reality!

The Oaks in Malvern is accommodates about six people with learning and life skill problems. Jane and I were invited by Andrew Dykes (Chairman) and Donna Taundry (Manager) to a “Mulled wine and mince pie morning”. It was good to meet the residents and learn about the important care that takes place there.

My Mayor’s Charity Christmas Concert in the Guildhall was a great success. At first I was worried about the numbers that would be attending. However on the evening the Assembly Room was full. Dr. Donald Hunt and the Elgar Chorale were magnificent. We were treated to Appalachian Carols and Carols from the West Country, Wales and Africa. The readings included works by John Betjeman (”Christmas”), Benjamin Zephaniah (“Talking Turkeys!!”) and John Julius Norwich (“The Twelve Days of Christmas”).

Friday 16^th: Fort Royal School (on the site of the former Thornton House School, Wylds Lane) provides for about 150 children with special needs (learning and physical) from nursery age up to 11 years old. Jane and I were delighted to visit, with Father Christmas, to meet the children and have a tour of the school. Jane Long (Head Teacher) and her staff are doing a magnificent, difficult and vital job. Since 2007 the school has raised £20,000 enabling phase 1 of the playground and outdoor facilities to be completed. I had the privilege of opening it with the children. It is acknowledged that this outdoor environment is a crucial element in how the children learn, socialise, behave, play and develop. Phase 2 is now needed and fund raising is underway. If anyone would like to help do let me know.

Another meeting with representatives of “Leukaemia Care” and “Worcester Farmers’ Overseas Action Group” to discuss more fund raising initiatives.

As an honorary member of Worcester Rotary Club, I, with Jane, attended a “Wassail” evening organised by the Club in The United Reform Church (Albany Terrace). Great entertainment, great food and punch (the “wassail”)! “Wassail” refers to a number of things. Wassailing is an ancient southern English tradition performed to ensuring a good crop of cider apples next year. The Middle English phrase wæs hæl, meaning ‘good health’. The drink of wassail is a hot mulled cider traditionally drunk during the wassail ceremony.

Saturday 17^th and Sunday 18^th: A “free” weekend to catch up on some of the pre-Christmas jobs…the last minute Christmas cards in particular.

Since I was encouraged to write this weekly “Blog” the “unique visitors” has risen from 73 to 147!! Oh, the wonders of modern cyberspace and technology. Today’s technological wonders are so different to the time of the original Christmas Nativity, but what if….

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA
Times change, feelings remain the same!

Happy Christmas Everyone.

Monday 5^th: Time to catch up with domestic jobs!

Tuesday 6^th: Steve Willetts came to the Parlour to discuss a proposal concerning a “Peel2Save” initiative. This involves discounts in various retail and restaurant outlets offered to those who purchase a booklet of stickers. Half of the money raised then goes to charity. We’re going to look into this.

A pleasant half an hour with Tim Clarke, Editor of the “Worcester Standard”, to discuss City issues and mayoral activities. It’s a tough time out there for small local newspapers.

The Carol and Christingle Service in the Cathedral for the Royal Grammar School The Grange (Years 3 – 6) was outstanding. All the hard work over many weeks by the pupils and staff in the School, Chamber and Senior Choirs produced performances of which everyone should be proud. Jane and I were amazed at the confidence of the young readers.

A  Christingle has its origins in the Moravian Church and especially from Germany where Bishop Johannes de Watteville in 1747 wanted to explain what Christmas really meant to the children in the church. It has evolved since and in 1968 the Christingle was introduced into services of the Anglican Church. The Christingle consists of an orange (the world), a red ribbon (the blood of Christ), dried fruits or sweets skewered on cocktail sticks (the fruits of the earth and the four seasons) and a lighted candle (Christ, the light of the world).

Wednesday 7^th: Our son, Mark, and his wife Sarah have a small bungalow hidden away on the side of Ankerdine Hill (Martley). It was a beautiful sunny morning so we went out there for coffee: a wonderful peaceful spot overlooking the beautiful Worcestershire countryside.

The Cloisters of the Cathedral came glittered this afternoon when the Dean switched on the Festival of Christmas Trees. This had been arranged by the Daisy Chain Benevolent Fund Trust (DCBTF) and sponsored by a wide range of organisations and businesses.

Christmas Trees at the Christmas Tree Festival at Worcester Cathedral

Jane and I had the very difficult task of picking the three best decorated trees out of the 43 entries. But they were all winners really. We hope the public will come and view the trees during this Festival which lasts until 4^th January and give as generously as they are able. The charities being helped  this year by the DCBTF are the Midlands’ Air Ambulance and MacMillan Cancer Support.

Christmas Trees at the Christmas Tree Festival , Worcester Cathedral

The custom of erecting a Christmas tree can be traced to 15^th century Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia) and 16^th century Germany. It is alleged that there was a tradition of decorating a spruce trees in the market square where the young men “went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced there and then set the tree aflame”.