Mayor of Worcester

A new tree was planted to mark the official opening of the new houses in Coopers Close, built by Nexus and to a very high standard. Energy efficient, beautifully designed and a million miles away from the old style estates, the new residents loved them too and said that they were so pleased to be living there.  As well as providing high quality housing, the development also removed a problem site where a number of deteriorating garages were attracting anti-social behaviour on quite a large scale.  So a good effort all round and a development that Nexus should rightly be proud of.

Val Hibbutt gave a talk about glove making in the very appropriate setting of the Fownes Hotel. It was very well attended, in fact so well that addition chairs had to be found – and even with them one chap ended up standing!  Val took us through the history of glove-making here in Worcester and it was absolutely fascinating.  I hadn’t realised just how big a business it was and that there were so many premises employed in their manufacture and, indeed, so many people.  The main business was of course leather gloves, so in addition to the making of gloves there were the tanneries and leather production, making the complete operation huge.

Blessed Edward Oldcorne College did it again! Their performing Arts Evening was a great success with a variety of music and song.  Year after year they seem to find new and very talented students, which I think says something about the dedication and expertise of the teaching staff. Whilst the talent has to be there in the first place, the coaching delivers the performance.   Well done to both the performers and the production team, it was a great evening.

We were graced recently with a visit by teachers and pupils from La Vesinet, our twin town in France. Their English was superb and it was great to have the opportunity of showing them around our Guildhall and explain a little of the history of Worcester.  As always they loved three things – the chain, the sword and the cells. Whilst in the cells one young lady saw a shadowy figure and screamed! I not sure who was more frightened, her or me.  The figure? Well that was a model of a prisoner half hidden in the dim light of the cell!

We also had a visit from Cherry Orchard School and, as always, it was a delight to talk to them and show them around. We are very lucky to have such a building as the Guildhall.

You will remember Joel Richards, a young man aged 19 with a great future ahead of him. He was a student at our University, a sportsman and someone who was liked by everyone he met.  He was killed along with Uncle Adrian Evans, 49, Grandfather Patrick Evans, 78, and 35 others near Sousse whilst they were on holiday in Tunisia last year. A terrible day, a day that tore into a family; as Joel’s mother said, “It’s been nine months and it feels like nine years of pain. I don’t think we’ll ever get over losing them. To go from six to three just by going on holiday.  It’s just unfair.  That’s what we struggle with.  It doesn’t feel real”.

The Duke of Gloucester, Chancellor of Worcester University, dedicated the Conference and Media Suite at the University’s Worcester Arena to Joel Richard’s memory – an area in which Joel was himself taught. The Duke unveiled a plaque in his honour, describing the murders as “an act of hate.” It was a very emotional day; most present were close to tears and Suzie Richards, Joel’s mum, spoke very movingly.  Whilst this event will preserve Joel’s memory in a place he loved and it was a lovely thing to do, it was still a sad day.

Lord Mervyn King came to Worcester to promote the launch of his new book, titled The End of Alchemy, at a reception held in the Arena. He spoke about world finances, the Euro, countries within the single currency and the recession.  Much to my surprise, I understood everything he said!  Lord King has a way of talking and explaining things that makes even the most difficult concepts comprehensible and I gather his book is written in the same vein.  I have yet to read it, but I have bought a copy.

The Worcester Competitive Arts Festival held a final concert in the RGS Perrins Hall, and what a show that was! The performers were of mixed ages from very young to those of a more leisurely age.  From a six year old right through to the rather more mature choir called Anvil Chorus, all were great, but it was the young pianists that amazed me.  Two of them were so small their feet did not reach the peddles, but their music was superb.  A young man sung so well and with such a mature voice that I thought music would be his future and whilst it may well be, his next step will be off to Cambridge to study maths!

Another remarkable week! Children from New College Worcester came to the Parlour for a chat with the Mayor and a tour of the Guildhall – and what a delightful bunch they were.  Although a brave face was put on, I definitely got the impression that they were a little nervous about being in the cells and a description of conditions back in the early 1700’s just about finished them off!!  In all seriousness, they really enjoyed their visit and they were a pleasure to take around the building.  Just in case they get jealous, I better add that the teachers were very good too!

The “Shrub Hill Workshop” exhibited photographs from students at the Commandery; it was one of those occasions when I was really glad not to be a judge as the photos displayed were all very good – most quite brilliant – and I would not have wanted to choose one as best. My compliments to all the students for a superb exhibition, thank you.

I had the opportunity to visit The Hive and explore the archives with Adrian Gregson, who has the grand title of Archival Policy and Collections Manager and Diocesan Archivist at Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service!  Crikey, that title must fill his business cards!  Adrian was very welcoming and showed me around the climate controlled storage facility which in itself was great – but to be able to see the original Charters awarded and sealed by our Monarchs over the centuries was amazing.  Documents and seals going back as far as 1189 AD, as well as ancient maps and other papers including Shakespeare’s marriage licence, are all safely stored there for us and future generations to enjoy.  A great facility Adrian, thank you.

The Young Enterprise Spring Fair was an interesting event. Staged in the High Street, young students were manning stalls and selling their product.  From different schools and colleges, groups were given the opportunity to form a business, complete with a board of directors and marketing scheme to promote their product or service.  A great idea, as working through the process they were able to understand a lot about business structures and how they work.  Their skills were put to the test as they worked to deliver a commercially viable offer and then sell that offer in the High Street and be judged on their originality, commercialism, organisational skills and both business and manufacturing acumen.  Even those that didn’t win a prize enjoyed it.  They all learned a great deal from the exercise, which will no doubt make their next attempt even more successful and give them valuable insight into the world of business.

The Civic Society located another Plaque – this one on a house in College Precincts which was the home of Edward Elgar from 1857 to 1934. It is now a beautifully refurbished house available for holiday lets.  The Civic Society has achieved some remarkable successes in recording important locations and events in the City’s past, for which I thank them.

The Worcester Festival Choral Society Concert held in the Cathedral has to be the event of the week. Beautiful singing and wonderful music.  Peter Nardone, Conductor, excelled and the Cathedral was filled with the incredible sound of the orchestra and singing by the Soloists and Choir combined.  The soloists Katherine Crompton, Soprano, Deborah Miles-Johnson, Mezzo-soprano and Bass soloist Timothy Dickinson were outstanding to say the least.  It was a real pleasure to be there and hear the great sound in a great building, wonderful evening!

We returned to the Cathedral the following day for the Service of Thanksgiving for Ian Hopwood, Chairman of the County Council as he approaches the final period of his term of office. Ian has suffered some health problems in the last few months so it was good to see him enjoying a lovely and well attended service.

It’s been a week of litter picking and clear ups in our “Clean for the Queen” campaign, cleaning and brightening up our City as part of the Queen’s 90^th birthday celebrations.  Local groups of residents, schools, and organisations, supported by the City Council and the Duckworth Trust, attacked some notoriously bad areas for litter and cleaned them up.  It was good to have public activity like this, demonstrating the damage done through pollution of our environment and by demeaning the visual amenity.  I hope our volunteers have made it abundantly obvious that it is unacceptable to just toss unwanted items on the ground or in bushes.

All sorts of things were found including the odd worn out tyre, loads of plastic, cans and bottles by the hundred and a myriad of other spent materials just dropped or cast into the undergrowth. I wonder why, in this enlightened country of ours, that some people think it’s ok to just discard rubbish on our streets, in our parks and on our green spaces.  Some say there are no bins!!  In reality, the City Council empties approximately 220 bins daily in the city centre.  We also empty 420 other litter bins around Worcester, which equals 920 collections per week.  That’s not including the servicing of 237 dog bins, adding up to another 500 collections a week!  However, if there is no convenient bin close by then why, I ask, don’t they pocket their rubbish until they pass one or take it home with them?

I went to a city in Germany recently and surprisingly there were few litter bins, but there was no litter on the streets and no graffiti. I asked how this was achieved and was told that the people took pride in the place where they lived and in their environment and thought it unacceptable to discard litter in public places and spaces.  Unfortunately we have a lot to learn!

On a lighter and much more enjoyable note, The Royal Grammar School hosted the Worcester Competitive Arts Festival and the talent demonstrated by our young people was astounding. It’s difficult to even try to pick out the best; I did say to one judge that I wouldn’t have her job for all the tea in China!  However I must comment on the Vocal Solo (12 years and under) as these young singers changed from nervous children to competent performers immediately when their music began.  They just “adopted and lived” the role and they were great!