Mayor of Worcester

February Fantasia Show!

This week I combined a full week of meetings with a stand-out event, the February Fantasia Show!

The History & Heritage POD at Crowngate Shopping Centre was transformed into a catwalk.

It consisted of a backstage area and judges stand with a seating and standing area, which was more than filled with a lovely audience.

Thank you to both the Crowngate Shopping Centre and the new Coffee Hub open in the POD for allowing the event to be hosted and a quick plug for the Americano which I very much enjoyed.

The event was the brainchild of Remade Worcester, whose fabulous volunteers were involved before, during and after the event.

Remade is an environmental charity shop, a treasure trove of fabric, haberdashery, embroidery, leather, yarn and papercraft, all materials which would otherwise have ended up in landfill.

Not content with just sales it also hosts quite a few community events, regular and one-offs.

Going back to the fashion show, all the outfits worn were made from materials from the shop.

Experienced seamsters made their own and those new to haberdashery and sewing machines were given a helping hand.

Three age categories were used to judge the outfits, up to age 11; 12 to 17; and 18 and over. I was one of the three judges.

I was worried my long time ago GCSE Grade B in Art and Textiles might not be the freshest qualification for judging!

Luckily, I had an artist on one side of me and a clothier on the other, perfect.

All entrants had clearly put a serious amount of effort into their outfits.

All were scored, the numbers totalled up and prizes for first, second and third handed out.

The quality was excellent and all entrants received a certificate. The next stop for them, I’m sure, will be The Great British Sewing Bee.

Time Travel

I travelled through time this week.

I was joined by companions in the form of some super work experience students, Doctor Who’s Tardis would have been very fitting.

I went back over 300 years ago, to 1717, when the Freemasons declared the first Grand Lodge in the world.

A tour of the Worcester Museum of Freemasonry was most enlightening, dispelled many myths and I even met an old friend over the coffee break.

Next, I leapt forward over 120 years, to 1837, the Victorian era, and the excellent exhibition I opened at The Commandery. I walked through Wyldgate Lane, a Victorian Worcester, which was full of real local history and artefacts.

I next made the 20th century, the 1950s, with a musical production of Grease at Christopher Whitehead Language College.

The entire cast were fantastic and the live band.

I then jumped just a decade, to 1939, that was the first known use of the tradition of Lady Paramount, someone who has been chosen to award the prizes at an archery tournament.

I distributed medals for the WA Combined Archery Competition (UK Record Status).

The last move through time was back to current day, first to education, citizenship and politics at school.

I visited Fort Royal Primary School and joined in with some of the Year 5 and 6 classes. I met with the school council, elected members from across the school, in place for the year and doing a grand job.

I also visited Christopher Whitehead Language College and joined a class to talk about local government with some students who were studying politics and some who were interested in how local government works. It was great to engage with the group.

I finished with the Chinese New Celebration, hosted by the Worcester Chinese Association, Engage with China, Museum of Royal Worcester and Worcester Porcelain Works.

The year of the snake. Let it be happy and fortuitous.

I spent time at the Myriad Centre this week.

Myriad is a charity which specialises in making a positive difference to the lives of adults over the age of 18 with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

Based at Greenhill Lodge, Merriman’s Hill, Myriad is very much in heart of the community, where it very much needs to be.

The building is on one of the high points in Worcester and the views looking out from upstairs are pretty impressive.

The charity has been running since 2007 and the current building perfectly accommodates its needs.

It is bright and accessible with activity rooms, a quiet room, a dining room with a kitchen where clients can be involved in their own food preparation and a fantastic outdoor space, which has brought lots of new opportunities.

Prior to being at Greenhill Lodge, Myriad was in a more of a period property, with minimal outdoor space.

I am so pleased clients can now enjoy the outdoors much more. We pretty much all know the benefits being outside in the fresh air can bring and all the physical and mental health benefits of being close to nature.

Not content with activities, both indoors and outside on site, Myriad has three buses and clients go out on a variety of trips.

With their own buses, when I arrived, a group was about to head out on a ten-pin bowling trip.

Other days out include sailing and travelling on specialist bikes, which can be used in tandem. These are great examples of some of the sporting activities on offer.

I have been invited back to Myriad for their Open Day in May. I am very much looking forward to returning and hope to meet more clients, parents, carers and staff.

Myriad really does offer a myriad of opportunities and activities for clients and many smiles to boot.

This week I had the opportunity to fully embrace Bulgarian culture at a charity event raising money for Kids Care Charity.

It was a delight to meet the local Bulgarian community and the money they raised will be used to help children in Bulgaria, with wood for heating and medicines.

I wore a traditional Bulgarian dress and arrived just in time to hear the host’s son play the violin, followed by a rendition of the Bulgarian anthem for which we all stood and observed.

There was lots of music and dancing that followed and I judged the colouring competition, no easy feat!

On Monday I presented a medal for the very first time, to a Nuclear Teat Veteran.

It was a real honour to present Maurice Hume with the Nuclear Test Medal, which commemorates personnel who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s.

A real gentleman, Maurice arranged for Rev Lindsey Coulthard, family and friends to be at the Mayor’s Parlour for the presentation.

Stationed at Christmas Island, Maurice was one of more than 20,000 military personnel and there are estimated that just 1,500 of them are still alive.

On Thursday I was at the official opening of the Victorian Fayre and after the sadness of there not being a Christmas light switch-on this year, it was extra special.

There was a carol service first at the Cathedral, which continued to the opening ceremony in the Cornmarket.

There was a full house in the Cathedral and the Dean, Dr Stephen Edwards, led the service and the Voluntary Choir were beautiful to listen to.

During the opening speeches at the Cornmarket there was a small spattering of rain.

A timely reminder from mother nature of what a difference she can make, even when all the technology and weather forecasts predict otherwise.

Thank you to each and everyone who came along and seasonal wishes to all.