Mayor’s Week, 27 May – 2 June 2012

Mayor’s Week, 27 May – 2 June 2012

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Just one event on Sunday, when we attended the Mayor of Evesham’s Hello Cruise on the Avon at Evesham. Afterwards, at a venue kindly provided by the Mayor of Evesham Councillor Robert Raphael and his Mayoress Cllr Diana Raphael, we enjoyed a buffet meal. It proved to be a useful opportunity to meet other new civic heads.

Monday and Tuesday were almost clear so I got down to some gardening and car-cleaning – long overdue after the hot and dusty weather!

On Monday I also attended the opening of an exhibition of Co-operative History at The Bath Museum. Articles had been sought from local co-operators and particular thanks are due to Ken Dallow for his contribution on Worcester’s history. Local Worcester Co-operators will be able to visit on Saturday June 30 when a coach trip is being arranged.

I met up with Tim Clarke of the Worcester Standard on Tuesday for a regular briefing prior to attending an update for councillors on the South Worcestershire Development Plan in the Guildhall.

Wednesday brought my first attendance at the annual meeting of The Thomas Corbett Charity for Blind and Partially sighted, at the Guildhall.

The Mayoress and I later attended the fifth annual Learning Through Sport Day at The County Cricket Club, hosted by Professor David Green, the University’s Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive. It was great to witness young people from local schools enjoying activity through sport and to hear of the success of schemes to engage with young people.

We also had an update on developments at the University in particular the Arena, which is designed to meet the needs of wheelchair athletes and is now beginning to be seen as a new sight on the Worcester skyline.

In the evening, we enjoyed a performance of Cabaret at Spires Theatre in the College of Technology. What a performance! Both Jill and I enjoyed it throughout and in particular enjoyed meeting some of the performers afterwards. Congratulations to Paul Bellamy and his team in the Performing Arts Department.

On Thursday I had a meeting with Canon Stanton at the Cathedral to finalise arrangements for the Civic Service on June 17.

In the afternoon it was Planning Committee, where several major developments were approved. Congratulations to Geoff Williams on his first meeting as the new committee chairman.

In the evening we hosted a reception in the newly refurbished Guildhall Assembly Room to launch the Royal Jubilee Elgar Festival 2012. What an improvement to this gem of Worcester’s architecture, now that years of grime have been removed!

Afterwards we walked to the Cathedral to attend the opening Jubilee Concert. What a performance, with  Elgar’s Cello Concerto performed so beautifully by Peter Adams. I’d like to give my congratulations to Christopher Robinson, The ESO and The Worcestershire Choir.

Friday’s attendance was at the annual Volunteers Fair under the aegis of Sally Ellison and the team at the Worcester Volunteer Bureau. There were over 30 Groups demonstrating the opportunities for volunteering in the city – no excuse for inactivity and a great opportunity to meet friends!

Saturday was remarkable. I was up early to meet David Faulkner and his family – David is running six marathons in six days to raise funds for Orangutang conservation.

David Faulkner and little support runners
David Faulkner and little support runners

Over to Specsavers to judge children’s crowns, then to judge the St John’s Traders Association Jubilee Shop Windows competition.

Crown making competition winners at Specsavers
Emily Seabright (aged 8) who won first prize in a children’s crown design competition. 2nd prize went to Kayleigh Wood (aged 5) and 3rd prize went to Destiny May (aged 8).

I was impressed with the efforts made by traders to brighten up St John’s and in particular the prizewinning entry from Newman’s Florist. Thanks to Rich Brixey and the Co-operative for the Fair Trade Hamper as first prize.

Congratulations to Belinda Jones, owner of Newman's Florist, 27 St Johns who scooped the winning prize.
Congratulations to Belinda Jones, owner of Newman’s Florist.

During the afternoon we were invited to attend the Jubilee party at Berkeley’s Chapel for residents of Berkeley’s and Nash’s. What a spread! Thanks to Elaine and her band of helpers.

Residents, friends and staff of Berkeley Arms Houses

I am a Trustee of this charity which is located in an idyllic setting, right in the centre of the City. How farsighted were some of our city fore-fathers in establishing this successful and progressive charity which does so much good in meeting the needs of people on limited incomes.

Later that evening, not totally exhausted, we enjoyed an exhilarating performance of Elgar’s Kingdom by ESO conducted by Donald Hunt with the combined voices of The Elgar Chorale and Worcester Festival Choral Society.

This was the final event of the three day festival celebrating the life and music of Edward Elgar during the weekend of his birthday. As it was June 2, Elgar’s birthday, a wreath was laid by Michael Kennedy.

Mayor’s Week, 21- 27 May 2012

Mayor’s Week, 21- 27 May 2012

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Another frenetic week.

While Sunday was my day off, I attended a re-union at The Foley Hotel, Malvern, of several friends who used to be members of Malvern Young Socialists. It was my first active experience of politics as I was a sixth-former at Hanley Castle Grammar School, when I first joined.

It was great to see Les Huckfield (former MP) who came from Scotland, Graham and Wendy Downie who live in Studley, Sally Hogdon (nee Haywood) and her brother John who live in Bacton and Banbury. Keith Morrell from Sutton Coldfield, Ann and Roger Pearman from Lower Wick, Jim Evans Worcester and my wife Jill were all there. Star traveller was David Livingstone who flew in from Toronto. We hope to meet Dave again in the New Year when he returns to the UK.

What a great day! Only a few of them are still involved in politics but they are all great company and it was lovely to see them all again after nearly 50 years!

The Worcester District Scout AGM was held on Monday and as President, I chaired their meeting. It was great to see John Day, Derrick Bishop and Keith lane. What a wonderful degree of parental involvement there is in this international organisation!

On Tuesday there was the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Awareness Week and Coffee Morning in the Guildhall. It was a chance to educate us about this disease. The importance of early diagnosis was emphasised throughout and I learnt of many of the tests that are now available. We have made a great deal of progress since my early days on a ward at Powick Hospital in the late 1960s.

I visited the Worcester schools Bellboat Regatta at Pitchcroft on Wednesday morning. It was great to see local schools using the riverside in a safe environment – so important in a riverside city. I was pleased to meet several schools and Andy Train and his father, who have done so much to promote this safe sport to schools. It is all part of the Olympic build-up – starting at Stoke Manderville, going to Much Wenlock and finishing in Evesham.

In the evening I went to a performance of Taking Steps by The Swan Theatre Amateur Company. Congratulations to Ann Moore on what was an excellent production. If only we could improve attendances to keep theatre alive in the city!

I welcomed Chinese students from The Yucai Experimental Primary School staying with families at Pitmaston Primary School on Thursday. It was our first time taking school students around the Guildhall and I was grateful for the expertise of my Mayoress Jill, who has taught for many years in the city. The children were so interested and well behaved. It was great to see Tim Ireson, the Head, who has been involved in exchanges for some years.

Later the Olympic Torch came to the county cricket ground on New Road. What a tremendous experience and such commitment to Worcester citizens who turned out in force!

Twist and Pulse at Olympic Torch Celebration event

There were an estimated 10,000 at the cricket ground and 50,000 lining the streets. I am grateful to my deputy Pat Agar who was present at the Guildhall and, of course, to VisitWorcester staff who were responsible for the arrangements.

Olympic Torch Relay Celebration event 2
Welcoming in the Olympic Flame at the Cricket Ground

Lighting the cauldron
Torchbearer Sally Flood lights the cauldron

I was up early on Friday morning to go to the Elgar statue in High Street to welcome torchbearer Monica Martin and take photographs. It was a shame the torch left early, leaving so many people disappointed.  The whole experience has been a superb opportunity to showcase the city to a national audience.

Monica Martin and myself at the Elgar Statue
At the Elgar Statue with Torchbearer Monica Martin

Later in the morning I took a trip to The Elgar Museum at Lower Broadheath where Mark Elder, conductor of The Halle Orchestra, opened the revamped exhibition and launched the appeal for a capital fund of £500,000. The Elgar Birthplace, just outside the city, was purchased by the city council in the 1920s. I believe the trustees have really developed and extended it into a top visitor attraction which is too little appreciated by local people.

I attended the Onside’s Great Bake Sale at the Guildhall on Saturday morning. This is an impressive local charity which provides support advocacy for vulnerable people – so much needed in these difficult times. We were able to enjoy the customary piece of cake and enjoy a cup of coffee. It really was a great opportunity to meet up with so many old friends and learn about this little-known organisation that now works throughout the county.

In the evening we attended the 30th birthday Party of Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society Youth Section (WODYS) at Perdiswell Young People’s Club where we cut the cake and met youngsters who will be performing “Me and My Girl” at The Swan Theatre in early August. The productions have gone from strength to strength and are now part of my regular birthday celebrations each year.

Mayor’s Week, 14 – 20 May 2012

Mayor’s Week, 14 – 20 May 2012

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What a whirlwind week. After a few wet days away in Lyme Regis following the recent local elections Tuesday finally arrived; a final visit with my University of the Third Age (U3A) Local History Group to Hartlebury Museum store in the morning. What a real cornucopia of exhibits stored under the ownership of the partners; everything from Street signs to baths, domestic appliances and archaeology from recent digs.

Tuesday night brought the Annual meeting of Worcester City Council. After appropriate tributes to outgoing Mayor David Tibbutt and his wife Jane, I was elected unanimously Mayor of a City which I have adopted and served for the past 35 years as a Councillor.

Mayor Worcester, Cllr Roger Berry

Feelings of humility and pride were quickly overcome as I had to chair the remaining meeting. I welcomed Pat Agar on board as Deputy Mayor, John Everest as Mayor’s Chaplain and of course Jill, my wife, as Mayoress.  I am sure Pat and I will work together well, each bringing different lifetime experiences to the post.

Afterwards, there were drinks in the Mayor’s Parlour where Jill and I acted as hosts. It was great to receive the good wishes of all colleagues, representives of our charities, friends and family members. We were home just after nine, but feeling quite exhausted!

Photographs in the robes took place over several sessions. We had never realised how difficult it must be for celebrities; I just hope they get used to it, I certainly can’t.

Cllr Roger Berry and Cllr Pat Agar
Myself, Mayor of Worcester – Cllr Roger Berry & Deputy Mayor – Cllr Pat Agar, at the Guildhall gates.

Our first civic engagement was a trip to Bromsgove Council to attend their annual meeting and the election of Councillor Mrs Janice Boswell to the post of Civic Head. Each council is different and she didn’t have to chair their meeting of council. At the reception it was good to meet other civic leaders and learn a little about her three local charities.

Friday I had a cancellation so with a clear diary I went walking with my U3A Walking Group; they were all surprised as I had previously told them I would be an infrequent visitor. How lucky we are to have so many superb walks within close proximity to the city.

On Saturday, I had a last chance to catch up with overdue gardening and then to Droitwich Fire Station where, in the bitter cold, we attended the Passing Out parade of the young firefighters. There are two groups in Redditch and Droitwich where youngsters from 14 to 17 are able to learn about firefighting. These mixed groups undertook several interesting exercises and afterwards we were able to see them presented with annual awards.

It was great to hear of the many different interests young people have despite being weighed down with schoolwork. As a former adult social worker it was an opportunity for me to see how interesting the lives are of young people and a reminder that the problems I have witnessed are only a small part of life. Most kids lead interesting and active lives without needing the intervention of social services. I am involved within the Co-operative Foundation which tries to encourage a more balanced approach to reporting about young people thorugh the Truth About Youth programme.

As a former chairman of the council’s Housing Committee I know all too well about the shortage of accommodation for families. As Mayor I shall be supporting two local single person charities, St Paul’s Hostel and Maggs Day Centre. Both are involved in the provision of accommodation and support to single people. It is all too easy to complain about people sleeping rough without doing anything about it. I hope I will be able to shed a little light on the causes and provision of accommodation to combat homelessness.

Mayor’s Week, 7 – 13 May 2012

Mayor’s Week, 7 – 13 May 2012

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This is my last blog as Mayor of Worcester. It has been extremely busy but also a very happy, satisfying and rewarding year. As I have said before “The Mayoralty is not just one person….it is a team. For most of the engagements Jane has been there with me in prominent patient support and not just as the guardian of the mayoral chain. Susan O’Kane, my PA, has been wonderful making the task fun and rewarding. Her guidance has been invaluable. My sword bearer, Frank, and ceremonial officers give symbolic protection to the Mayor appearing with pride on all civic occasions. The Guildhall attendants are always there assisting with courtesy and style recognised and much appreciated by visitors from all over the world.

Jane and I extend our thanks to everyone throughout this City who has helped make our time in office so memorable.

Tuesday 8th: On 4th August 1914 a terrible event took place and the First World War was declared. Four years of carnage followed until 11 November 1918. In those years more than 70 million military personnel were mobilised to fight in one of the largest wars in history. More than nine million soldiers never returned home and many Worcestershire men and women were among them. Here in the Guildhall all of those who served from Worcester in the Great War are recorded.

For many months now a group, under the Chairmanship of the Mayor, has been meeting to consider how we might commemorate the Centenary, in August 2014, of the outbreak of the Great War. I am so grateful to those who have already assisted including Lord Faulkner, Cllr. Roger Berry our Deputy Mayor, Rev. Canon Paul Tongue from the Cathedral, members of the Royal British Legion and many others. A plethora of ideas have come forward…A Stuttard-Kennedy exhibition and trail, theatre performances, war films, an Edwardian fete, and so on. We are already registered with the Imperial War Museum and Worcester is ahead of the game when it comes to this planning. But most importantly I am calling on local people to contribute their ideas too being keen that our commemorations will engage young people particularly. There is still plenty of time to come forward with ideas and we will carefully consider every suggestion. A small prize will be offered for the best suggestion of an event – the deadline to receive suggestions is Saturday 30 June 2012.  We are also inviting members of the public who are interested in helping to plan a commemorative event. It could be an exhibition, tour, theatre production or display of WW1 memorabilia.  For example I have three Field Service Post Cards dated 26.09.16, 30.10.16 and 19.11.16 sent by “Billy” to a young lady in London. Each card is preprinted and “Billy” was allowed only to strike out the words that did not apply…no additional words were permitted.

This morning, accompanied by Lord Faulkner of Worcester who came specially, I launched, in the Guildhall, the public planning process and appeal for ideas.

Two weeks ago I welcomed a small group of visually impaired students from New College Worcester to the parlour. Today they came for the second half of their educational study of the Guildhall. This time we talked more about the Guilds of Merchants that were established in the Guildhall after the charter granted by Henry III in 1226, the lists of those who served in the First World War, the huge collection of fire buckets hung on the south wall of the Lower Hall and of course we descended to the cells.

It’s mayor-making time again. Jane and I were honoured to be invited to attend Tewkesbury Abbey for the Annual Meeting and Mayor-Making Ceremony for Tewkesbury Borough Council. It was a great occasion in that wonderful building that we have never entered before. Over this last year we have come to know very well the outgoing Mayor, Cllr. David Waters and his Mayoress, Mrs. Sue Waters. We wish the newly elected Mayor, Cllr. Philip Surman and his Mayoress, Mrs. Diana Surman, a happy and enjoyable year in office.

Wednesday 9th: Charity shops have sprung up in many places and have become an important part of the local economy as well as gathering financial resources for a huge range of important causes. We are in “Choose Charity Shops Week” and Jane and I were pleased to go along to the Cats Protection Charity Shop in St. John’s to help publicise their and other charities’ work and role.

Later in the morning we were back at the Guildhall to receive the newly engraved “Peplow Trophy” from Dr. John Prosser, the President of Worcester South Rotary Club. The “Peplow Trophy” is a frying pan that the Mayor’s team won in the pancake race on Shrove Tuesday, 21st February. That really has to be one of the highlights of this year!!

Pancake Day Races
Team Mayor wins the pancake day races on 21 February 2012

For a long time I have held the view that the contributions made by the City of Worcester to medical science and care have been insufficiently celebrated. The story goes back at least a thousand years. Looking into this further I realised that there was a long list of potential topics. Therefore it was a great thrill for me to introduce what I hope is the first public Annual Worcester Medical Lecture arranged between the Mayoralty and the University of Worcester. Professor Richard Lewis gave this inaugural lecture in the Guildhall to an audience of almost 100. He traced, with great skill, the history of medicine in Worcester up to the present with many illustrations of portraits from the Board Room of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary and now part of the City Campus of our University. Sir Charles Hastings, who founded the British Medical Association in that very board room, would have been proud of his City. The funds raised this evening go to the Mayor’s charities’ appeal.

Thursday 10th: Susan O’Kane (my PA) and I met Richard Vernalls (“Worcester News” reporter) to brief him about the plans for the military parade through Worcester on Wednesday 27th. June. This will be in the run-up week to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 30th June. The event will be quite spectacular with 780 soldiers of the Mercian Regiment, Queen’s Royal Hussars and Grenadier Guards and their bands.

Later in the day I had a call from Hereford and Worcester BBC to make a telephone recording concerning these celebrations on 27th. June.

The staff of the Guildhall have been so helpful over this last mayoral year making it enjoyable, happy and rewarding. As a “Thank you” I entertained them (about 30) to dinner in the Parlour. Great company.

Friday 11th: Up early as I had a 7:30am. appointment in the Hereford and Worcester BBC studios for a live interview about the parade through the City on 27th June.

I note that “The Worcester Standard” has produced a full page for our year. Thanks Tim (Tim Clark, Editor).

The “Berrow’s Journal” has me on the front page: “Stop moaning and be proud City”…… a little journalistic licence taken there with my original words!! I have had several messages of agreement and none against so far.

One of the pleasures of being Mayor is to attend mayor-making ceremonies in local towns…..traditions that go back hundreds of years. This evening Jane and I went to Bewdley Guildhall for the Annual Meeting of the Town Council and Election of Mayor. Cllr. John Latham was elected as the new mayor and we wish him well for his year in office.

Saturday 12th: The Railway Development Society Limited held its Annual General Meeting in the Guildhall and I was honoured to welcome the members:

“Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen.

“Thank you so much for inviting the Mayoress and me to your AGM.

Welcome to the Guildhall and one of the most beautiful buildings in England.

“When I was a teenager I went to school by train, later I went to University on the train and my family went on holiday the length and breadth of the country on the train taking our car on the Car Rail Service…. no longer available. So if you want my support for the development of railways you have it. And not just for nostalgic reasons.

“There is a link between this building and railways.

Alexander Sherriff was Mayor of Worcester for two years between 1862 and 1864. He was Chairman of the Worcester Engine Works and Director of the Metropolitan Railway, the Metropolitan District Railway and the Metropolitan and St. John’s Wood Railway. In Worcester he helped to develop our railways. While he was Mayor he was given this Mayoral chain and he eventually donated it to the City for all subsequent Mayors to wear. The chain is specially designed to represent the links between railway carriages.

“So what of our current Worcester provision of railway services? Well, at last we have the re-dualling of part of the Cotswold line. The Foregate Street Station is long overdue for a revamp…….sadly we missed out on an opportunity when the central post office closed: I worked hard on that when I was on the City Council’s Cabinet. What a wonderful potential entrance that would have made. Then there is Shrub Hill Station: a place of arrival and on leaving the station what do we see?……..the Elgar building……. The Master Vision for Worcester over the next 30 years sees that disappear with a wide open welcoming space.

“Our roads cannot continue to expand to take all the increasing heavy freight. There must be a way of getting this back onto the railways. As so often is the case the railway does not begin where the freight leaves and neither does it arrive where the businesses require. We have lost the geographical co-ordination and link of railways and freight business needs. So what happens? They take to the over congested roads. What is the answer? A long term vision that will somehow re-establish the link.

“O, Mr. Beeching you have a lot to answer for!!”

This meeting was also addressed by guest speakers who discussed the strategies for rail transport in and around Birmingham as well as the campaign to reopen the Cheltenham to Stratford-upon-Avon line as a through route. I must admit I find the idea very attractive.

A Community Health Club (12a, Shrub Hill Road) has been established by “Positive People Plus”. This is an important venture and I was pleased to “cut the ribbon” to open the facility. I spent much of my professional life as a Consultant Cardiologist seeing and helping people with conditions that could have been avoided or at least reduced in severity if only …… they had not smoked, had kept their weight within healthy bounds, had eaten more sensibly and had taken more and regular exercise. All sections of the population are affected to varying degrees. But this health club is focussing on those who may be less inclined, for various reasons, to attend. If you are unhappy, depressed or socially marginalised it may be that you just cannot be bothered…smoking tends to increase. Junk food becomes the norm….obesity creeps up on you…..taking exercise becomes more difficult. And so we go round in a vicious circle. We cannot afford to ignore this problem especially for the sake of the people themselves whose lives cannot be lived to the full. The country cannot afford to ignore it because the economic consequences are even greater. So I wish “Positive People” every success. For more information see www.positivepeopleplus.com (telephone 01905 22016).

 Sunday 13th: The Rev. Clare Griffiths has been appointed as Team Vicar in the Worcester South East Team with responsibility for St. Mark in the Cherry Orchard, with St. Philip and St. James, Whittington. Jane and I were invited to attend her Service of Licensing and Installation at both churches. It was a wonderful sunny morning to welcome her and we wish her well in her ministry.

An “end of term” evening cruise on the River Avon followed by a light supper at “Raphael’s restaurant” at Hampton Ferry, Evesham. For the mayor and mayoress of Evesham and the rest of the “chain gang” this annual event is arranged by Cllr. Mrs. Diana Raphael. A most relaxing end to what has been a hectic year.

On Tuesday evening of 15th May the Full City Council will elect a new mayor. Jane and I wish whomever takes over as good and happy a year in office as we have had.