Mayor's Blog - Week 3
This week started with the loss of my precious Mayor's Badge of Office......
This week started with the loss of my precious Mayor's Badge of Office.Only to the jeweller's I hasten to add! Last year, the badge finally gave up the struggle, the rivets worked loose and the beautifully constructed arrangement of metalwork and enamelled decorations fell into several pieces. This occurred when Maurice was in the middle of one of his busiest periods so a temporary repair was carried out (the bits were glued back on). In the meantime, Alison arranged to have the old Waverley District Council Badge re-gilded, and this week I wore that badge whilst the Borough badge was cleaned, re-gilded and re-assembled. It now looks like new and I feel very proud to wear it. The only problem is, it now puts the worn and used chain to shame, so that too will have to go to the jewellers for refurbishment when I next have a quiet period.
One highlight of this week was a repeat visit to the Farncombe Youth Football Club, but this time to present awards at their annual ceremony in the Borough Hall. The hall was packed with the winners (about 80 I think but I lost count) plus their parents and other members of the club. It was a fantastic occasion so full of energy and enthusiasm (especially amongst the girls when one particularly handsome young man came up to the stage to receive his awards!). A marvellously uplifting event to attend and Merrill and I send our heartfelt thanks to the Club Chairman, Keith Grove and his wife Debbie.
On Sunday, Merrill and I visited the Haslemere Farmers' Market for the first time. It is smaller than the Milford and Farnham Markets, but nevertheless retains a fine, friendly feeling amongst the stallholders and shoppers alike. Do attend if you can, it makes a great half day out.
In the afternoon we visited the Ranger's House Gardens in Farnham Park which Cllr Lucinda Fleming and her husband had opened to the public in support of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. The gardens used to be open to the public but had been left dormant a period of some 20 years. Upon purchasing the house, the Flemings decided to restore the gardens to their former glory. They undoubtedly have a lifetime project on their hands but judging by what they have done so far it will be a labour of love.
On Monday I attended the AGM of the Waverley Community Mediation Service. This is a very effective dispute resolution advice service within the borough, but, as with most volunteer organisations, they would like to be able to recruit more volunteers, particularly as the volunteers require specialist training as mediators.
The week ended with a reception in the Farnham Town Hall to celebrate the centenary of the Dempster Trust. It takes adaptability and good management for any organisation to last a few years let alone a century, and the Dempster Trust has obviously had its fair share of both. Amongst other things, the Trust gives donations of money to families and people in financial difficulty as a result of, say, robbery or loss. It was a very special event and I have no doubt that the Trustees will be able to set the Trust on course for the next 100 years.
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.