Mayor's Blog

Mayor's Blog - Week 9 - 9th to 15th July 2008

On Wednesday morning I opened the Waverley and Ash School Games at the Charterhouse Club.  Eight local schools had sent teams to compete in a range of "Olympian" sports including tennis, basketball, volleyball, water polo, boccia and various athletics events. Many of the events were modified to take place indoors as it proved to be the wettest day of the year.  Unfortunately, the tennis still had to be competed outside, and at times the ball barely managed to lift itself out of the puddles of water on the courts.  Undaunted, the youngsters played on and even raised a smile when I commented that the professionals at Wimbledon last week would have cancelled the whole day's play after a tenth of the rain they were experiencing. 

From one side of Charterhouse, I moved to the other in the afternoon, where the Waverley Volunteers Garden Party was held in the Great Hall (out of the rain again).  In fact the Mayoress had to keep dragging me further and further across the hall (until we were almost out the opposite door) to avoid the receiving line standing in the rain.  Nevertheless, everyone seemed to enjoy the party, and it was a great pleasure to meet so many different types of volunteer from across the borough, many of whom I had already met during my Mayoral visits.  It was also a very great privilege to be able to say thank you, on behalf of the people of Waverley, to all the volunteers in the borough, present or not, without whose unstinting efforts our social infrastructure would collapse.

Wednesday finished with a visit to the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill, where the Mayoress and I were entertained and informed at a "Celebration of Youth" arranged by the Surrey Council for Voluntary Youth Services.  It was an amazing evening where we learned all about the wide range of organisations catering for youth within Surrey.  There were displays from the classic organisations such as the Scouts, Guides and Army Cadet Force to smaller organisations such as Surrey Young Carers which deals with the problems of young people whose lives are completely devoted to caring for ill or disabled parents or siblings.  We found the evening highly emotional, but uplifting since it revealed that there is a lot of activity and help available out there for all ages if you know where to look.  There is also a huge number of young people actively engaged with the voluntary sector whether turning their own lives around, or helping others to do so.

Thursday's and Friday's events were somewhat less demanding in the emotional stakes, but none the less significant.  A working luncheon in the Mayor's Parlour with the staff of the Army School of Physical Training on Thursday enabled arrangements for the next Mayor of Waverley's Youth Challenge to be discussed.  This event usually takes place in April each year.  It was first instigated by Cllr John Sandy when he was Mayor and it challenges teams of schoolchildren to compete in a range of physical activities including an army assault course.  At the luncheon, we agreed to increase the number of children taking part in 2009.   As soon as the new autumn term starts members of the Army and Waverley staff, myself included, will be out encouraging more schools to join in.

Friday started with my attendance at a Business Breakfast at "The Mill" in Elstead.  This was a chance for me to cement some friendships which will help when I try to bring the business, university, charity and civic communities closer together as part of my "raising profiles" mayoral campaign. 

On Friday evening I was invited to attend the Rotary Club of Haslemere President's Evening at the Old Thorns Golf and Country Estate.  A Rotary President's Evening is where the outgoing President hands over to the new (a bit like Mayor Making but in more up market surroundings and better dressed).  This was a special event for me too as I have been a member of the club since 1999 but have been unable to attend many meetings this year due to mayoral commitments. 

On Saturday I was invited to the Friends of St Andrew's Midsummer Lunch in the Rectory Garden.  This is an annual event for the Mayor of Waverley, but particularly significant one for me as the Mayoress and I regularly attend St Andrew's as our own parish church.  Returning from the lunch we briefly dropped in on the Tilford Fete and met many of the stall holders and friends from the village.  From there we returned home in time to change and prepare a quick picnic before setting off for a "Last Night of the Proms" concert in Shalford Park in support of the Mayor of Guildford's charities.  In keeping with the rest of the week, the usual summer rain continued trying to ruin everything; but the indomitable British spirit kept the crowd happily singing along and watching the fireworks from under their umbrellas.

Sunday lunch was at Limnerslease (Artist's Rest), a house designed by Sir Ernest George and completed in 1891 for the painter George Frederick Watts and his artist wife Mary Seton Watts.  The house is now owned by the Rautenbachs who are slowly restoring it back to its original colour schemes and furnishing it the Arts and Crafts Style so epitomised by the original owners' work.  The Rautenbachs had kindly allowed members of the Godalming Museum and Trust to have lunch in a marquee in the garden and to tour the partially restored house afterwards.  Later, the Mayoress and I attended a Festal Evensong to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the dedication of St Mark's Church Upper Hale.  It was a lovely service which also provided a chance for us to meet the Rector, the Rev John Hale, who in the absence of the Mayor's Chaplain has kindly agreed to step in and deliver prayers at my first Council Meeting next week.  I would recommend a visit to this lovely church, if only to view the amazing murals painted on the walls of the choir by an artist member of the congregation, Miss Kitty Milroy, between 1911 and 1920. 

On Monday, I visited the Herons Leisure Centre to be photographed for a press launch of Waverley's free swimming for the under 8s.  The photo turned out fine but it gives no indication of just how hot and humid it is in the swimming pool area, particularly when one is fully dressed in a suit and tie and with the Mayoral Chain and Badge.  The week was rounded off with a visit to the Adult Learning Centre in Farnham on Tuesday evening.  A Creative Embroidery Exhibition showed examples of work from all over the borough including some excellent pictures from Hillary, the wife of our own Councillor Michael Goodridge.

If you would like to know more about any of these events please look at the Waverley Website at www.waverley.gov.uk where there are links to most of the organisations mentioned, or contact me by email at mayorofwaverley@waverley.gov.uk.