Mayor of Worcester

Both tourists and residents will now be able to learn more of Worcester’s past as Blue Plaques are appearing all over the City denoting sites where significant events have taken place – as well as the renewal of the plaques showing the location of the old City gates back in the times when Worcester was a walled city. Thanks to the Worcester Civic Society together with the Milestone Society, we have a bronze plaque to mark the position in Worcester of the original Old Cross – and the Civic Society has also unveiled the blue plaque in honour of John Williams (1773-1853) at Pitmaston House in Malvern Road, St John’s.

For cricket lovers there is now a plaque to mark the formation of Worcestershire County Cricket Club which occurred at Whitehouse Hotel 150 years ago, then named the Star Hotel, and is now on view to the general public to admire after being unveiled on the Foregate Street wall of the Whitehouse Hotel.

On the subject of visitors, we have had the pleasure of receiving well over a hundred foreign students at the Guildhall in just one week alone. They came from Germany, Italy and China and all, without exception, were a credit to both their teachers and countries alike. It was a pleasure to talk to them about Worcester and to show them around the Guildhall.

Worcester Vigornia Rotary Club celebrated their Presidential handover in great style with dinner on board a river boat, cruising up and down the Severn. It was a lovely evening, blessed with good weather and delightful company. I wish Victoria well in her year as President and every success in her fund raising efforts for worthy causes including Sight Concern, a nominated charity we both share.

Junior Youth Speaks at Hollymount School, organised by the Rotary Club of Worcester, gave us another impossible task of choosing winners! The problem is that these are impossible choices, in my mind they are all winners and show what incredible talent Worcester youth has to offer.

Similarly, RGS The Grange had their School Speech Day, again also exhibiting some remarkable talent and prizes for achievement were awarded across all six year groups. A former Head Girl at the school, Miss Ellie Ives, now a graduate of Oxford University, was the guest of honour and gave a brilliant speech – as did the current Head Girl, who was a pleasure to listen to!

A couple of weeks ago I mention that I attended the showcase production of Harlequin Dance prior to their trip to Romania where they were to compete in the World Dance Cup. I wrote, “Has Worcester got Talent?” Well it seems we most certainly have, and here’s the proof!

Eighty three children (aged 6 to 18 years old) from Harlequin Stage School represented our country in Team England at The Dance World Cup held in Romania last week and helped ENGLAND to be crowned overall CHAMPIONS. Paula Dymock, Principal of the School, was overwhelmed by their performance – and on top of the world with the superb results!

The Team won 15 Gold, nine Silver and nine Bronze as they competed against performers from 44 other countries! Harlequin also won the prize for the most outstanding classical group “The Orchestra” and Felicity Gibbons, aged 9, was named the most outstanding performer in the World Cup mini performance category. Well done and congratulations Felicity!! I am sure that when The National Anthem was sung, the whole team must have been bursting with pride.

Their trip to Romania proved to be the journey of a lifetime. Well done, you are all a great credit to Worcester and indeed our Country.

Also showing great talent were the children performing at RGS The Grange years three and four end of term concert. They were a delight to watch and performed beautifully, a great credit to the school!

I attended a special event to mark the one hundredth anniversary of Fort Royal Park on Monday 29 June. The celebrations included cutting a specially designed and beautiful cake, a performance by Stanley Road Primary School pupils and an informal outdoor service of evensong. The Friends of Fort Royal Park organised the event very well and it proved to be a very pleasant evening, made even better by the lovely setting and being blessed with good weather.

A delegation of government officials and business leaders from Hezhou in China visited Worcester last week when we welcomed them to the Guildhall for the signing of the Sister City Agreement. My thanks go out to the Worcestershire Ambassadors, to Mr Frankie Tsang, The Chamber of Trade and Council Officers who all worked to make the visit such a success.

Armed Forces week started with the raising of the flag over the Guildhall and culminated in a magnificent parade through town on Saturday 27th June. The turnout for the march past was terrific and there were hundreds, if not thousands of people flanking the streets to see the Queens Royal Hussars parading past as they celebrated the Regimental Freedom of our City.

One Sergeant Major said that as he marched around a corner and saw the masses of people either side of the road, clapping and cheering as the Hussars approached, his feelings whelmed up and he felt a lump in his throat. This puts in perspective the value of us turning out to recognise their work, on our behalf, and to cheer them on!

Five members of the England Women’s Cricket Team took time out to visit Worcestershire Cricket Club and, together with Club Staff, thoroughly entertained 90 children from Cherry Orchard Primary School. I spoke to a lot of the children and, without exception, they thought the day was a great success. There were competitions, quizzes and of course cricket on the beautiful grounds of our famous cricket pitch – the prettiest in England!!

Tuesday saw the GB v Germany Woman Basketball International staged at the Arena. I hadn’t realised just what a fast moving and exciting game this sport offered, it really was a great evening even if we did lose – but only just – it was close!

Later this summer, our city will welcome the continent’s leading wheelchair basketball nations to the European Championships, where they will join the Great Britain teams in competing for both the prestigious title and a highly coveted qualification spot at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Held from 28^th August to the 6 September at the University of Worcester Arena, this is a fantastic opportunity to see this fast-paced family sport, up close to the action. More information, including tickets, can be found at www.euro2015.uk or through the British Wheelchair Basketball Office on 01509 279900 / office@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk

Lastly still on a sporting note, the T20 Worcester Rapids V Northamptonshire Steelbacks played at New Road in beautiful weather conditions. They ran to the wire and we lost by just two runs!!!

The “Big Sing 2015” held at the Worcester Arena on Tuesday 16th June was a brilliantly organised extravaganza of one thousand primary school pupils, so eager and enthused by the opportunity to participate in this festival of song.  It was a lovely experience and heart warming to see so many children from a variety of schools singing with actions in complete unison.  I take my hat off to the organisers; the children thoroughly enjoyed it as did all those watching.  I said a thousand children, but really it was two thousand as I attended the second afternoon session which followed a similar event in the morning!

St Barnabas School staged their Junior Youth Speaks event with both poetry and story.  There were six finalists in each competition, two from each year, and together with the Rotary Club, we had the very difficult job of judging their performances.  I thought the best overall performance was delivered by a young lady who had spent her early life in Brazil and, at home, the family language was Portuguese.  Despite English being her second language she delivered her story, on the theme of “The Place She Most Wanted to Go”, in the most engaging way with excellent use of English, as well as expression and delivery.

Also on the same day my wife and I attended a Summer Fete in Latimer Court Residential Care Home.  Wwe were both struck by the good design of the building, the central garden area and the vegetable/herb garden.  The rooms were of the highest standard, beautifully fitted out and the premises staffed by a team of very committed and dedicated people.  An excellent facility enjoyed by the residents, who are very well looked after.

The third event on this same day, Friday 19th June, was a delight as we had the honour of opening the Thai Massage Parlour, Gems, in their new location at the Trinity.  A family business that deserves to succeed, several of their current clients explained to me just how different and effective the treatment is and they seemed to have quite a few long term supporters who sang their praises.

The 3rd Worcester Scouts held their open day and AGM on Saturday 20th at their head quarters in Vicar Street.  Thanks to the successful application for a Lottery Grant, they have made some tremendous improvements including a new kitchen, BBQ area and an office which also serves as a well appointed Radio Amateur base.