Previous Mayor's Blog 06/07

Wednesday, 23 May 2007

The final day dawns, and I realise that I've made it to the end, just those steps up to the stage at the Forum to get up unaided and without stumbling.

Not that all the handbags have made it. One is waiting for the clasp to be mended, and another is badly scratched.

I think people thought I would be sad at the year coming to an end, but the date has always been known and it has run its course.

Hair, hat and handbag had to be sorted, speech finished and printed off, and, of course, I did need to make sure that the Mayor's Consort was looking spick and span, not that he ever looks otherwise when on duty.

When Kevin came to pick us up, we were actually completely ready, but have a look on my speech for my comments on "early"!

At the Forum it was meeting guests, but a nice surprise as our grandchildren presented us with the cheque for their sponsored climb of Roseberry Topping. Then I was donning the robes for the last time, and we all processed into the main theatre. I couldn't resist a wave to the grandchildren, who were waving from their box.

Yes! I was up to steps ok, and the meeting started. In no time at all the new Mayor, Councillor Billy Noble, was proposed, seconded, and installed, so we processed out again to the darkened room next to the stage for the robe swapping. Off with the robes and chain, on with the plum hat, and back on stage for the rest of the proceedings. I was very touched with the vote of thanks from Maureen and Ken, although a little worried - chunks of what I was going to say were in what they said! Well, on with the final speech. I rarely have one written out fully beforehand, and I altered it as I went through. I've kept all the bits in, and it is posted on the side of the blog.

So that was it. End of responsibility. Hang up the handbags and hats.

Or was it?

Well.

The next thing that happened was the election of Deputy Mayor - and yes, you've guessed it from the pictures. The Mayor's Consort had now become the Deputy Mayor, and I am Deputy Mayoress.

So for the next year I support John, hopefully as well as he has me, in his role as Deputy Mayor. And then, if all goes well, he will become the new Mayor next year, with me as his Mayoress.

I haven't really taken in it yet.

I do feel sad now that I have come to the end of this blog. It has been so much part of my life for the last year, and part of the routine every night to sit and write it. I hope that it has given an insight into the life of a Mayor, and what civic life is about, and demystified some things. In addition, not planned, it has helped to build up histories of some of Stockton's people and events. It has helped in putting people and organisations in touch with other organisations, mainly in the voluntary sector.

Maybe I will start my own blog, but it won't be the same.

Maybe I will take up the offer to have it published, I will have to see. I have the Brass Crosby book to write too. In the meantime this blog can be accessed on the Council website by doing a search on "previous mayor" or using the link www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog0607

So thank you all for staying the course and reading the blog, thank you for your feedback, it has been a wonderful year, and I've wonderful memories.

Now will the new Deputy Mayor be getting a handbag ?

Tuesday, 22 May 2007

More tidying up to be done, and preparation for the big day tomorrow. I cannot believe that today is the last day as Mayor, and looking back as I prepare my speech, I cannot believe how much we have done, how many places we have been to, and people we have met. As I wrote a draft of the speech I realise how much the year has changed my view of our Borough, and it's people. I am proud of our Borough, proud of it's people, and it has been a real honour to be the first citizen.

Billingham Forum beckoned. Time for a rehearsal for tomorrow, and a bit nerve racking as we go through the procedure. Will I stand and sit at the right places, will I get the preamble for my welcome right. Say it with me and you see why I am worried!

"High Sheriff, Civic and Honoured Guests, Councillors, Officers of the Council, Citizens of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees".

After a little sorting out of ward casework it was then straight to the Town Hall for my very last function as Mayor. Have I really reached the end of a year ? I didn't think I would make it intact, without problems of joints, the heavy chains, psoriasis and migraine interfering, to say nothing of other pitfalls that could be lurking. However I have, and many, many thanks go to so many people, as you will read in my speech tomorrow.

My last function was fitting. To be presenting a cheque for £1,000 to Hilary Maddren for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The money was raised at a special open afternoon and evening at the Town Hall, helped by Linda Roots, because a former Councillor colleague, her husband Malcolm Roots, was ill at the time and has since died of the terrible disease. Members of her family, friends, neighbours, and people who had cared from him in the Home at Whingroves were all there to support Linda and join in celebrating raising such a large amount. As Hilary Maddren said, "it really will make a difference."

In a way the gathering epitomised so much of what my Mayoral year has been about. People coming together in our Town Hall. People caring and supporting each other, doing what was right, and celebrating what was so good.

Then home to greet relatives of The Mayor's Consort who had travelled up to share tomorrow with us. I was on my way to another meeting to deal with an important ward issue, but I did have time to make a cup of tea for them first. Quite ironic that they sat out in the garden for it - the indoor table was clear for the first time for a long time! I left a meal cooking in the oven as I dashed out again.

Then home to eat, prepare my speech, recharge the camera, and write the last blog for a full day - but one more day tomorrow - and that will give the link on how to access this after then.

Saturday, 19 May 2007

Another attempt at sorting out papers, but all too soon it was time to get dressed for the Tees Regatta. I had gone last year when it was raining and windy, today it was just windy, very windy at 23 m.p.h. so unfortunately the junior races had to be cancelled for health and safety reasons. People were there from many places including those I met from Rochdale, Lancaster, Berwick and even Bideford. A number of people told me how much they enjoyed coming to Stockton for our Regatta, as it was such a good course, a good club house, and it has a unique to the North East, four lane rowing capacity. Those that were racing did extraordinarily well to survive the course, I thought, the river really was choppy,

I was interested to hear of the opportunities for people with disabilities, with special facilities for them. If anyone wants to know more, get in touch. It is called adaptive rowing, and has now been accepted as a sport for the Para Olympics in Bejing.

"World Class Start" is another initiative, identifying and developing potential Olympic participants in rowing.

We met a keen young man who was preparing to be a charity "Ironman" he is planning to do a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run. What a man! The money raised is for the multiple sclerosis society, and other charities. Have a look at his website.

The River Tees Sports Centre houses Stockton Divers, the Dragon Boat club and University Boat Clubs as well as the Tees Rowing Club. I thought it would make a very good venue for other events that I was told it could be hired for parties or meetings. It has it's own parking, isn't far from the Town Centre, there is a bar and you can make your own catering arrangements if you want.

My last concert as Mayor was this evening at Yarm School. The concert was to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Elgar's Birth, and those taking part included Yarm School Choral Society, The Choir of Yarm School and The Yarm Synthonia. Once again the talent, along with the enthusiasm and joy of the young people shone out. Those a little older did very well too! There was a brilliant young soloist, Sarah Bowe - listen out for her in the future.

It was a beautiful relaxing evening. At least I was relaxed till we got to the end. I am used to people coming up to me at events and saying "would you like to say a few words". However I wasn't expecting the conductor to say before the last piece "it is custom for the Mayor and MP to lead the singing". He added that the Bishop of Whitby could too. I heard a stage whisper from the direction of Radio Cleveland presenter, Mark Turnbull, along the lines of "Good Lord deliver us". He must know how appalling my singing is. However I needn't have worried, everyone joined in all at once with "Land of Hope and Glory". I'm sure my voice was drowned.

What a resounding last concert to have been at.

Friday, 18 May 2007

An early start trying to sort out the many piles of paper around, but had to leave home for an important Council seminar at 9.30 a.m. so I just had to leave them spread on the table.

There was no time to go home after this, with lots of calls and e-mails to catch up on, and not even time to get anything for lunch, although I did manage to buy some apples whilst I walked to the hairdressers, whilst on the mobile phone.

Sleep and relaxation for an hour whilst my hair was snipped and sorted - oh that other things in life could be manipulated such! Not that my hair stays in one place for long.

I then had to pick up some shopping in a well known store in our High Street. It was bad having the embarrassment of my card not working at the till. You get that feeling that everyone is looking and thinking you have gone bankrupt, as well as being impatient waiting to be served. I did find out later it was because I had started a new one and not cut that one up.

It got worse. I was using one of my own plastic bags (I won't mention which Council Department had given it to me!) to pack food into. The handle broke, top flew off the blackcurrant smoothie, smothering everything else in the bag. It splashed on my feet. I was desperately trying to make sure it didn't get near to the jacket I had just had cleaned in the other hand. Thank goodness it was the sort of store you could ask for customer services to come and help as I sat there looking helpless, trying to juggle the mobile phone and blackberry at the same time. If you ever thought of trying such a manoeuvre - don't even think about it!

Back home for more dealing with casework and problems that had just come in and a good drink of that smoothie. Then a quick dash out to get more Christian Aid envelopes back, before going to Preston Hall. I wasn't going as Mayor, but to go to the launch of the "Museum of my Life" exhibition. It is interesting, as people have reflected on what is in the "cupboards of memories" personal to themselves. Some great poems too! We were asked to put our name on a paper bird with what we would put in our own museum. My first thought was a replica of my mayoral chain, as a memory of a wonderful year. Also the photos of all those in my own family. The exhibition is on till 12th July.

When we got home there was still no room on the table to eat, and some more problems to tackle, so we ended up eating out in the garden room after 10.00 p.m. with the fan heater on!

Thursday, 17 May 2007

I had offered "tea and cakes with the Mayor" as an item in an auction of promises for our Church the other week. Someone had bid for it, paid good money for it, and today was the day!

Quite an experience going and buying cream cakes - I can't remember when I last did that, but I did get some fresh fruit pieces too. I enjoyed showing the visitors round the Town Hall and Mayor's parlour on what will probably be the last trip round I do, and yet more people now know more about the history and heritage of our Town Hall and Town. There must have been over 1,000 people shown round in my Mayoral year, and I hope that this will have gone some way to giving people pride in their Town, as well as contribute to the enormous amount of historical knowledge accumulated as a result of what people had to tell us.

Then it was the African Football meeting. More plans were made for the second John Owen's Trophy match on August 5th at the Billingham Synthonia football ground. There won't be any more reminders on this blog - so put in the diary now! It will be a very entertaining day I'm sure.

We couldn't leave those cakes not eaten of course ¿¿

Then, of course, it was more Christian Aid collecting to make sure every house is visited at least once. I'll try to fit in more later in the week.

Wednesday, 16 May 2007

As part of National Epilepsy week Joan Wade and her husband had their garden open to raise funds for the organisation. It is a really lovely garden and they has lots of plants for sale that they had grown. I wasn't the only person there that was commenting that the plants bought usually prospered, and the most un-green fingered of us managed to look after them. Joan, whose husband has epilepsy, organises the open day to raise funds, and it is amazing what can be done in an ordinary suburban garden.

In the e-mail she sent to thank me for going she says :

"We made £695 for Epilepsy Action and are very pleased with this. A day like this not only raises funds but it also helps to bring out into the open that people with Epilepsy are only suffering an illness and not as in days gone by people to be afraid of."

Well done.

Tuesday, 15 May 2007

Students at Queen's Campus have organised a fashion show next week on May 25th, which sounds good, and all of the proceeds are going to charity. If you are the media reading this - please do carry some publicity!

I had been asked to meet to discuss some of the issues around it, and lots of other great ideas came out of the meeting too. I am looking forward to joining the University Photography Society when I have more time after ceasing to become Mayor, having become really interested in the scope and different uses of photography in my year as Mayor.

It is Christian Aid Week , so as myself and Mayor's Consort have done for the past 40 years, it is door knocking to collect envelopes for Christian Aid. This excellent organisation is making sure that money donated is spent along with people in the places that need it regardless of religion or race. So if a collector comes to your door, please be generous - and kind to the collectors - you don't know who it might be!