Mayor of Worcester Blog

Chinese New Year Celebrations went off with a bang – a very loud bang, in fact quite a lot of loud bangs; I wasn’t ready for them at all! When I had calmed down I joined those watching the rousing of the dragon, Kung Fu dancing and a variety of dances and songs both outside the Guildhall and in the lower hall.  Performances were by Chinese students studying at the University of Worcester, supported by the Worcestershire Ambassadors and hosted by Frankie Tsang.  It was a both lively and graceful; quite an experience for us all.

Three retail stores opened: the new Sainsbury at Foregate Street; a joint venture comprising Curry’s, P.C. World and Car Phone at Blackpole Retail Park; and an impressive Lidl located just off Windermere Drive. The Lidl is a completely new page in their offer – a bright, well laid out store with a comprehensive product range, well signed and easy to shop. I was impressed! It is great to see such investment in our City and I wish them all every success in the future.

During a visit to Titania, an IT security company based in Barbourne Road, I met an American Police Officer called Bryn Platz from Minnesota. Brian was here in the UK, as a guest of Titania, to introduce the concept of Worcester becoming a “Heart Safe Community.”  The idea is based around CPR training and automated external defibrillators populated throughout the City.

Bryn is a very dedicated man who describes compelling reasons why this project should be promoted. I was convinced and having listened to him, seen the videos and had brief training, I believe we should promote this idea here in Worcester and aim to be registered as a “Heart Safe Community”. The cost is relatively low and the potential benefits are huge.  For more information and access to the videos please go to:- http://www.ci.coon-rapids.mn.us/875/Heart-Safe-Coon-Rapids  It’s very well worth taking a few minutes to view their website; please take a look!

Blessed Edward Oldcorne College achieved another stage success with their superb production of The Sound of Music; beautifully staged and brilliantly performed. During my Mayoral year I have been to a number of school productions and I always been impressed by the talent we have in our young people and the way it is developed and nurtured by our teachers.  Well done Blessed, it was a great evening!

The Commandery came to life with a weekend of history – in fact, 2,000 years of re-enacted history, with all the costumes, props and artefacts of each era represented. Worcester always brings to life our heritage and history so well.  I’m indebted to Brian Bullock for all the time he took to show Freda and I around the exhibits.

It’s amazing that all the artefacts still exist, and that is due to the dedicated groups of people who look after and treasure them for us now and for generations to come. Each room and space in the Commandery took visitors into a different era and volunteers were present in number to explain how things worked and to talk about life in each particular time frame.  The building was packed, each room different, but it didn’t end there.  The gardens were also used to great advantage with both military and domestic mini settlements demonstrating equipment and even cooking on open fires.  It was great; if you missed it, make sure you are there next year!!

Last week a new plaque was unveiled – one in a series identifying the sites of great events or locations of notable structures, such as the city gates in the days when Worcester was a walled City.

This plaque noted the approximate position of the Hop Pole Inn, a hostelry where presidents-to-be Adams and Jefferson dined during their famous visit to Worcester. Adams wrote in his diary in April 1786: “Tell your Neighbours and your Children that this is holy ground, much holier than that on which your churches stand. All England should come in Pilgrimage to this Hill [Fort Royal], once a Year.”

My thanks to the Civic Society, The Battle of Worcester Society and the sponsors for their work in delivering this programme – and The White House Hotel for allowing the plaque to be mounted on their front elevation.

The Cathedral hosted a Worcestershire Community Connect event, bringing together a number of charities and voluntary organisations that provide services for the disabled. Whilst there I met a charming lady who was a retired computer programmer; she was totally blind.   Whilst I sat talking with her, stroking her lovely dog, I asked her how she lost her sight. She told me that she was born without being able to see, yet she had a successful career in a role that I thought one would need vision. How wrong can one be!!.

 

 

I was delighted to attend the final of the Stay Safe design competition, giving schools an opportunity to enter an idea or concept for a phone app that both raises awareness of cyber bullying and helps students to stay safe. The project is led by the Police and Crime Commissioner and supported by our University.  Neil Westwood, the successful Dragon’s Den Magic Whiteboard contender, also supported this project and was one of five judges.

The schools represented at the final, held at the Riverside University Building, were Abbey Park Middle School, Blessed Edward Oldcorne College, St John’s Foundation Middle School and Woodrush High School. The winning team were St John’s Middle School and their project will go on with University support to fruition, but it was very close as all the entrants had done a superb job in drawing together the framework for a successful app.  In fact I thought they were so close that I would have made them all winners and combined their efforts into one joint team!

Each group presented their ideas so well and answered questions with great confidence in front of a crowded lecture hall. Once again this answers the question, “Does Worcester have talent?” Well, if this wasn’t enough to answer the question with a resounding yes, then the production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by Bishop Perowne School, which was brilliant, would have absolutely confirmed that the talent in our schools and colleges is there and being well nurtured by our teaching staff.   Very well done, it was a great production well acted and made for an enjoyable evening and clearly the cast and production team were very enthusiastically engaged and thoroughly enjoying it.

The last few weeks have had me worrying about my decision to replace the annual mayor’s funding dinner with something a little different. In a moment of madness I cancelled the dinner and substituted a Saturday night Frog Racing Event!  To make it work we needed around 80-plus attendees and less than a week prior to the event only 47 had signed up. It was nearly cancelled!  We decided to run with it come what may and on the night over 100 people came. It proved to be a great success with everyone and, apart from having a really good time, we raised £2,700 for our charities and I could breathe again, thank goodness!

I must thank the Cotswold Frog Racing Team for coming to Worcester and for their tremendous input into delivering the most fun evening the Guildhall has witnessed in recent times. Thank you very much indeed and we in Worcester are very grateful.

This organisation, just four people, travel all over the place setting up events like ours and over the years they have raised in excess of £350,000 for charities. They ask nothing in return and contribute enormously to the success of the event. Hopefully one day they may be recognised for the great work they do.

The first Health Futures University Technical College (UTC) has now officially been launched with Lord Baker, Chairman of the Baker Dearing Trust, unveiling a plaque at an event I attended. The college is located in West Bromwich and aims to create the next generation of health care specialists, healthcare practitioners, leaders and career scientists.  Some twenty health, education and public sector organisations from across the West Midlands have come together to form this partnership, rarely seen in traditional schools and colleges, enabling a combination of national qualification teaching and hands-on project learning under the supervision of healthcare professionals.

Over 250 students have joined the UTC, putting them on a pathway to a promising educational experience. With entrants from Year 10 upwards, there is an exciting and different learning opportunity available. A type of apprentice employment can be linked into this, meaning that students can go on to complete degrees without accruing the debt normally associated with higher education today.  It seems a very interesting project, offering some great opportunities.

On a different note, we met to finalise details of the Mayor’s main funding raising event this Municipal year; not a charity dinner as is custom and practise, but a Frog Racing night in the Guildhall. Yes, Frog Racing!! Not real live ones, I hasten to add, but a great fun evening of racing MDF cut outs which will make for one hilarious night out.  Certainly a more lively way to raise money for Acorns, Daisychain and Sight Concern – and a different way to celebrate Valentines Weekend!  The event takes place tonight (Saturday 13^th February).

The annual Worcester City Council staff awards evening took place in the Guildhall on Friday 5^th February.  Titled the Staff WOSCARS, it is an opportunity to recognise those who have excelled or gone out of their way to deliver exceptional service.  There were many award categories, but some in particular stood out.  In any organisation you are lucky to have one or maybe two people that could be called “inspirational leaders”; but at this event we had four!  Nominations actually come from employees, so to have four nominations really says something positive about the organisation and its culture.  It was very pleasing to see two members of staff recognised for lifetime service awards, both had completed over forty years’ service to the Council and both greatly deserved this well earned award.