Mayor of Worcester Blog

My busiest week so far was dominated by remembrance services for the Battle of the Somme. I launched a charity fundraising initiative at Individual Tailoring, opened two exciting new Worcester businesses, visited three school concerts, a community Ramadan celebration, attended one civic event and welcomed a group of young visitors from Stuttgart, Germany.

Friday marked the Battle of the Somme centenary, the darkest day in British military history, when 60,000 of our citizens were killed or injured in a single day. The early morning service at the war memorial and one in the Cathedral in the afternoon were both inspiring and fitting tributes. Keeping these memories alive is important because surviving relatives know that we still care. We are also reminded that war means loss of lives and must always be a last resort.

On a happier note, the concerts were celebrations of musical achievement by extremely talented blind and partially sighted students at New College and very young children at RGS The Grange. Ian Venables’ song cycle “Through These Pale Cold Days” also had its world premiere at RGS.

Small businesses are vital to our city, so it was good to open Worcester Eyecare in Sidbury and RedPoint Indoor Climbing Centre in Midland Road. Worcester Eyecare offers state-of-the-art optical care and RedPoint brings a superb new facility to our city, which helps users to exercise in an exciting and challenging way. Individual Tailoring in The Foregate launched an innovative idea which both helps local charity and supports their business. Donating an unwanted suit gains £50 discount on a new one – and the old suit is sold by St Richard’s Hospice to raise funds.

Breaking the fast with our Muslim friends in Fort Royal Park was wonderful – people of different ages and faiths sharing fun, food and conversation.

Mayoress Lynn and I were delighted to visit the Art Exhibition at Worcester Sixth Form College. Fine examples of textiles, graphics and photography were displayed, created by students as part of their coursework. Judging by the high standards, some high grades can be expected.

Stanley Road Community Primary School was next, for their Starfest Festival of Theatre. Children of all ages performed a variety of historical, comedic and improvised drama, with tremendous enthusiasm.

The Summer Fayre at Cherry Orchard Primary School luckily had dry weather, as several outdoor activities were offered to raise funds and provide entertainment for both children and parents.

Saturday was the Queen’s Tea Party at Berkeley’s Chapel, for residents of the alms houses at Berkeley’s Hospital and Nash’s and Wyatt’s Court. Their wardens had worked hard to decorate the chapel with lots of red, white and blue and to provide delicious food, so the party was much enjoyed by the guests.

King George V Community Centre, Brickfields, hosted an art and archives workshop for children from Hollymount and Fairfield primary schools, designed to inform them about Worcester’s past in a fun way. This was part of the “Strong Rooms” project by the county archives staff from the Hive. The culmination will be a major installation in Gheluvelt Park in August.

The Royal Grammar School’s Commemoration Service in the Cathedral was wonderful. Many students participated, reading, singing and playing music to a high standard. Staff had clearly prepared students well and they did the school proud.

I chaired the full City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, which was much calmer and more co-operative than many, and my week ended with a visit by students from Munich to tour the Guildhall with their hosts from the Sixth Form College.

The Mayoress and I enjoyed visiting Worcester Snoezelen. This charity, based at the University’s St John’s Campus, provides a wide variety of multi-sensory experiences, including hydrotherapy, which help many people with mental and physical disabilities.

One of the pleasures of being Mayor is hosting school visits to the Guildhall and there were two this week. German students from our twin city of Kleve came first, on an exchange with Worcester Royal Grammar School. Next, Spanish children called, accompanied by their hosts from Lyppard Grange Primary School. Young people appreciate our magnificent Guildhall, marvelling at its history, the stunning Assembly Room and the prison cells. They ask interesting questions – one asked where in the building my bedroom was!

Latimer Court Care Home had their High Tea on Friday. My consort, Lucinda, and I were entertained by a wonderful saxophonist. One resident, Dorothy Capper, read her own amusing monologues, reminding me of Yorkshire playwright Alan Bennett. I discovered that, by an amazing coincidence, Dorothy not only came from the town where I was born, but her husband Ron had been my PE teacher there!

The English Association of Male Voice Choirs Annual Concert, hosted  by Worcester Male Voice Choir at the cathedral, was a real treat. The six massed choirs raised the roof with works from Verdi, Mozart, Handel, Humperdinck and Leonard Cohen, augmented by soprano soloist Claire Bessent, organist Keith Hearnshaw and the Birmingham Horn Sound.

Following my theme for the year of “No community left behind”, I was pleased to fly the Rainbow Flag over the Guildhall during the vigil in memory of 49 members of the LGBT community who were killed in an Orlando nightclub.

I also attended the ceremony to raise the Armed Forces Day flag and my busy week ended with the annual general meeting of Worcester Samaritans, a vital charity of trained volunteers who help the growing number of our residents facing despair and even contemplating suicide.

Our busy week started with the opening of a new “pub” inside Shaw Red Hill Care Home. A room converted into a pub-like bar was packed out for the grand opening. What a great idea to brighten up the lives of disabled and elderly residents!

We had great pleasure in opening the Worcester Literary Festival, and were entertained by young people with considerable literary talent reading their prize-winning competition entries. The three finalists for Worcestershire’s Poet Laureate performed their works and Suz Winspear was the worthy winner.

The Queen’s 90^th birthday celebrations dominated our weekend, starting with a visit to Fort Royal School’s Royal Hullabaloo. The school educates primary age special needs children and everyone enjoyed the fun. The head and deputy head teachers greeted the mayoress and me, disguised in face masks as Prince Phillip and the Queen! Friendly, happy and enthusiastic children dressed in red, white and blue were entertained by musicians and a choir from Christopher Whitehead Language College.

On Saturday morning we started the Rotary Club’s Board March and in the afternoon the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Steve McKay with wife Alison, welcomed a large group of nonagenarians to Tea for the Queen in the Guildhall. Thanks to Marks & Spencer for generously donating lots of very tasty cakes!

Sunday afternoon was the mayor’s civic service. My reception for the Queen in the Guildhall was followed by a procession to the packed Cathedral. As well as marking the start of my year of service as mayor, the Queen’s 90^th birthday was also celebrated. Bishop John delivered a memorable sermon and the Cathedral choir was joined by the Worcestershire Youth Choir and Orchestra. Talented singers and musicians from our county schools filled the vast space in the Cathedral with superb music, including Handel’s Zadok the Priest and an anthem composed around 1575 by William Byrd for Queen Elizabeth I.