Mayor of Worcester Blog

We started the week with a small family celebration for my wife Jill’s birthday.

On Monday I escorted a former French Mayor on a tour around the Guildhall and attended three meetings, the final one being the AGM for Headway, a charity which supports people who’ve suffered brain injuries.  We were pleased to meet service users and see for ourselves some of the work that this fine organisation does.

More meetings the following day, starting with one to plan activities for a homelessness exhibition in the Guildhall next year.  I am very keen to raise awareness of the issue locally.  Later that evening I chaired a meeting of the full City Council. I hope that future ones will be a little less controversial!

The city experienced another royal visit on Thursday; we welcomed HRH the Earl of Wessex to Worcester, where he performed the official opening of Dancox House at the former Vinegar Works. What a superb building conversion – and opportunity to meet so many local people connected with the forces.  It is an excellent way of preserving some of Worcester’s industrial heritage.

Friday was an extremely busy day, which started with the Mayoress and I hosting an event as part of the annual Macmillan Cancer Support World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

A couple of meetings later, we attended the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s Annual Awards Ceremony at The Assembly Room in the Guildhall.  It was inspirational to see the Awards for long service and meritorious acts of bravery, involving so many members of the fire service and lay members of the public. I think too often we take for granted the service provided by public employees.

In the evening we joined members of Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society at their 120th Anniversary celebration at The Pear Tree Inn. This is no mean achievement; I was pleased to toast them for “120 years of entertaining Worcester”. It was great to meet so many of the members; we are avid supporters of their musicals, regularly performed at The Swan Theatre.

On Saturday we attended a Positive People event at the Worcester City Football Club, followed in the evening by The Last Night Of The Proms at St Georges Cof E in Barbourne.

Positive People event at the Worcester City Football Club

What a night; thanks to Ian Pattison and The Magdalane Orchestra for such a traditional programme, complete with Union Jacks and audience-singing!

I was delighted to help launch a week of celebration by welcoming Worcester Twinning Association members and visitors to the Guildhall to start a week of activities to mark 25 years of Twinning.

It was a particular pleasure to welcome Neville Swanson and former councillor Cliff Lord. They have been active in the association since the beginning and played major parts in cementing the relationships our city has with cities and towns in Germany, France, Lithuania and the USA.

Monday evening saw the Mayoress and I head to Evesham to join the Mayor of Evesham, Councillor Robert Raphael, for his charity Monk’s Supper.

Jill and I joined an exhibition preview on Tuesday, making the centenary of the life of Alice Ottley who played such a part in providing private education for girls in Worcester.

To the Swan Theatre on Wednesday, to see the Swan Theatre Amateur Company’s production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. What an excellent production – congratulations to the small cast of only four. So much hard work goes into these productions; it is a pity they are not better supported.

Jill and I attended The Myriad Centre in Barbourne on Thursday, where profoundly handicapped adults are cared for. The importance of day services cannot be underestimated, and it was clear to see how much the attendees benefit from such a supportive environment.

Later, we attended the annual City of Worcester Sports Award, held at the Cricket Ground, where I helped present the awards. It was a privilege to meet so many inspirational people, following the remarkable summer of sport.

The challenge now is to ensure the legacy of the Olympics and Paralympics is recognised in our city and to ensure facilities are available to meet the demand.

Special guests Zach Purchase and Mel Clarke, silver medalists at London 2012

The week ended as it began, with the culmination of the week of celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of Worcester Twinning. On Friday Jill and I enjoyed the concert by The Elgar Chorale, with the selection of music from all the Twinning Countries being appreciated by all.

Saturday saw a procession with Ann of Cleves and Henry VIII in the city centre, followed by events in St Andrew’s Hall. My thanks are due to Worcester Concert Brass, local cubs and performers who made it into such a successful community event.

That evening the 25th Anniversary Dinner was held at the Guildhall, where it was great to meet visitors and Twinning Association members at the culmination of such a successful week.

Jill and I started Heritage Day at the Guildhall with doors wide open and plenty of visitors, many of whom are not aware that the Assembly Room is open to the public during the week. Many thanks to the councillors who entertained visitors with numerous anecdotes about the Council chamber.

We attended the Homestart Annual General Meeting and were really pleased to hear so many true life stories about how volunteers have helped. The Mayoress spent four years as a volunteer and understands the importance of a little help at the right time in a person’s life.

Later we welcomed Trustees  from the Porcelain Museum to present them with a copy of the porcelain plate I had given to Her Majesty the Queen when she visited the City. It was good to meet Francis Clark the artist; what a tragedy that these sort of skills have been lost to the City with the closure of The Porcelain.

Photo left to right: Cllr Roger Berry – Mayor of Worcester, Duncan Sharkey – MD of the City Council, Gill Berry – Mayoress of Worcester, artist Francis Clark, Amanda Savidge – Museum Director and Sam Driver White, Chair of the Trustees.

In the evening we enjoyed a most stimulating lecture from visiting Professor Keith Brown on ‘Caring for vulnerable citizens’.  As a society we all have to remember the need to care for the vulnerable and make sure sufficient resources are available.

On Wednesday we had an interesting meeting with Worcester Model Engineers Club, who hope in 2013 to celebrate their 60th Anniversary.   Their presence at Diglis is often unknown; they hold regular steam-ups  on the third Sunday each month until October.

We attended the funeral of George Randall, Freeman of this City on Thursday.  He had clocked up over 48 years service as a City and County Councillor and was the first Labour leader of the City Council.

In the evening we processed to the Cathedral to celebrate the graduation of over 400 students at Worcester College of Technology.  It is easy to forget how much hard work goes into studying, and how necessary the support from families and friends is.

On Friday I opened  Rachel’s Art in the Hopmarket.  Congratulations to Rachel Hall on what is a most interesting venture, and the culmination of years of hard work.

Later the Mayoress and I held a small reception for  His Honour Judge Robert Jukes and wife Fran, to mark his  appointment as Honorary Recorder of Worcester.  He was presented with a certificate to mark the occasion.

The week was rounded off with a great evening at The Swan Theatre, to attend the Friends Variety Show. Congratulations to all those performers who made the evening so enjoyable for the audience and raised much needed funds for the Theatre.

The week began with an enjoyable walk in the Worcester Woods as part of Strength Walk 2012, an event designed to raise awareness for Victim Support in the county.  It was great to launch it and speak to staff and some of the many volunteers.

We enjoyed a half-day trip to Bourton- On-The-Water with residents of Berkley’s and Nash’s Alms-houses.  We were fortunate with the weather and enjoyed the lovely Cotswold scenery.

On Thursday Jill and I took the Oath of Allegiance from junior recruits to the Army. It was pleasing to meet so many of them and their families on this very special day.  My brother joined as a young soldier and enjoyed seeing the world, before he returned to Civy Street as a bursar in a Girls School in London.

Later we joined guests for Worcester Bosch Group’s Golden Anniversary event at Sixways. What a story, growing from humble beginnings in the City centre to a multi-national Company with employment for nearly a thousand people. It is important to recognise the need for long term investment in the development of a company, combined with an active training programme. Many thanks to Richard Soper and colleagues for the warm welcome.

We joined a packed Cathedral on Friday to attend the memorial service for Michael Brinton, the late County Lord Lieutenant.  It was evident what high esteem he was held in by the excellent address and packed attendance.

The service was followed by a meeting of the Committee to commemorate World War I in the Mayor’s Parlour.

In the evening we enjoyed a dinner courtesy of St Paul’s Kitchen Project at St Swithun’s Institute. The event was to showcase the successful kitchen project where residents have been trained in hospitality.  We later presented certificates to those who had worked so hard. The meal was certainly a testament to its success and suppliers, volunteers and staff thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

With the completion of the summer of Olympics thoughts must turn to its legacy, and how we recognise the raised profile of people with a disability and their culture of achievement.  As a society we must ensure opportunities are available to all!