August is always an active month in the Worcester Calendar but last weekend was, as I am sure you noticed, a trifle warm. Maybe some people preferred the early morning or simply staying at home, but Percy the Peacock and the Mayor got fully dressed up to open the 20th Worcester Festival. Despite the paraphernalia I am sure it was the Gugge band everyone came to see!

Sunday morning I spent a little time with a community litter pick in St Johns, but it can have been nothing compared to the clean-up of Pitchcroft earlier that morning by volunteers and council staff – nor after the Worcester Show itself. Well done to everyone for making it such a safe and tidy and happy place for the Show, held again this year on Pitchcroft.

As usual, trophies galore to be won in fruit, flowers and crafts – but where have all the artichokes gone? And the funny shaped veg? There’s a catch-up trophy-giving due for all those who couldn’t stand the heat.
Well done too to the bands showing off Woo Town’s talent on the main stage and with the community karaoke. But for me, it was the Mela what made it. Colour, spice, sparkle, noise, excitement. What a vibrant addition that must now become a feature every year.

Community and volunteers are also at the heart of the Tudor House Museum, a gem of a building and resource in the city centre. Thanks for the invitation to the consultation event. Back in the day, I chaired the committee that made it free entry, part of our city museums, but also later had to close it due to running costs. The renaissance, with the considerable help of Worcester Consolidated Charities, has been amazing and if you haven’t seen the only surviving Tudor ceiling in the city yet, get along there!

It looks like we have a fund addition to the leisure scene on the High Street in Mulligans, though we managed to lose a golf ball pretty crazily.

Finally, not a Mayoral thing, but what can I say – Tom. Fair play. Great gig.