Saturday 9th November – Up bright and early this morning to go and sell “Children in Need” badges in Accrington Market Hall along with Paul, Sarah and Oliver Barton and Jean Crooks – oh! And not forgetting Pudsey Bear, the star attraction! It was too wet to go outside on Broadway and in any case we’d got a licence covering the Market Hall as well. People were invited to give a donation and take a badge and lollipop for their child. Some of the little ones were frightened of Pudsey but most of the children were only too glad to have their photo taken with him! We’d also taken flyers to advertise our Lancashire Night at the Town Hall on Friday 22nd November – ring the Mayor’s Office on 01254 380285 or Paul & Sarah Barton on 01254 390542 if you want tickets. Hurry, they’re selling fast! There will be Lancashire Music by The Phil Knight Experience - a three-piece band, and Dialect by Les Bond. Your admission price of £7-50 includes a traditional pie and peas supper. Yesterday Sarah said she was encouraging people to come “dressed for the part”, in flat cap, etc. but “fancy dress” isn’t compulsory – “smart casual” will do! We’re inviting Mayors from other Boroughs too so they can see how we do Lancashire hospitality here in Hyndburn! I don’t usually spend my Saturday morning in the Market Hall but I could see that it’s a popular place for people to sit and rest or chat. There were elderly residents perhaps sitting for half an hour till it was time for their bus and also families with babies and young children. I was wearing my “mayoral hoodie” and “mayoral T-shirt” which I bought from Giftprint in Peel Street six months ago for my sponsored walk. Whilst in the Market I saw people I hadn’t seen for a while and had a chat – a member of the Ramblers and a member of the Hyndburn Singers. The singer bought Lancashire Night tickets for herself and her husband and said she’d probably need two more for her daughter and son-in-law. I had a word with some older residents from out-of-town. A gentleman from Cleckheaton told me he was nearly 90 and had been brought up in Accrington. There were three people from Burnley who were going to get themselves some lunch. I had quite a long chat with a lady called Irene from Clayton-le-Moors. She is now disabled and uses a motorised scooter and can’t get out as much as she used to do. She was pleased that I sat down and talked to her and told her what I was up to as Mayor! Meanwhile little Oliver Barton, aged eight, was giving out flyers to people who sat down on the benches. He’s a proper little salesman! Looks destined to take over the family business when he grows up! When I got hungry I went upstairs to the cafe and brought down home-made meat pie and mushy peas, together with a mug of tea – that’s more like it! While we were in the Market Hall we saw a lot of Cadets – Air, Army and Sea – selling poppies. They’d had to come indoors too as it was so wet! I spoke to Janet, the Poppy Organiser for Hyndburn. She said how well the young people were doing with their poppy sales. I think I’m presenting some of them with awards at 5 p.m. tomorrow in Rishton. I told Janet we now had Police Cadets in Hyndburn so she said she’d get in touch with their Leader so that they could be included next year. The Cadets all looked very smart in their various uniforms. I spoke to one or two of them and they were all pleasant and polite – a credit to Hyndburn! In the evening it was a case of “tripping the light fantastic”, to quote a phrase from my late mother, at the Mayor of Ribble Valley’s Ball. Richard Sherrass and his Mayoress Lynn Pate were holding their event at the “Shireburn Arms” in Hurst Green. We enjoyed a lovely meal – I had seafood fishcake, followed by roast beef and strawberry cheesecake. There were the usual fund-raising activities – guessing the name of the Teddy, two games of “Heads and Tails” and a raffle. I came home with a bottle of rose wine – think I’ll keep that for myself rather than donate it to my Mayor’s Charity! The Mayor and Mayoress of Ribble Valley were of course raising money for their charities. As dignitaries this is an important of our mayoral year, choosing one or more worthy causes and raising money for them throughout the year. Their charities were related to cancer and leukaemia as these illnesses had affected both their families. The “disco”, as I still like to call it, was fantastic! I forgot to bring my programme home so can’t remember the person’s name – Wayne somebody! He played some wonderful dance music and accepted requests. The Mayoress, her husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our evening and the pleasant company. Other fellow-dignitaries were present – our friends the Mayor and Consort from South Ribble, the Chairman of Lancashire County Council and his Lady, the Town Mayor and Mayoress of Clitheroe (Kevin Horkin and his mother) and the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress from Ribble Valley who will be taking office in May/June next year. When we came out of the hotel it was very foggy. Jayne, our Attendant, is a wonderful driver and we know that we’ll always be safe when she’s at the wheel! We could have stayed a bit later at the event but we were thinking of the five engagements on Remembrance Sunday and the need to try and get a good night’s sleep! Before I went to the Ball I’d been catching up with e-mails on my iPad. I’d asked my Secretary to contact the Hyndburn Libraries to see whether they were holding any events on or around Lancashire Day, Wednesday 27th November, and if so whether they’d like the Mayor to attend. I was sad to read the reply from the Library Service. They seemed to think that I was a political figure, that I only went to grand events, that I would need to be accompanied by a County Councillor and that inviting me would involve a lot of fuss and bother such as bringing in extra staff. My Secretary assured them that I was not a political figure, that the mayoralty wasn’t all about “pomp and circumstance” and that a lot of the engagements I went to were so-called “low-grade” events like coffee mornings. They have mentioned National Libraries Day on Saturday 8th February as perhaps a suitable event to invite me to. I’ve replied to my Secretary, copying in the Library Service, saying that I’ve always made clear to people that no event will ever be too small for me to attend. The Mayoralty for me is all about communication – hence this daily blog! – so please don’t hesitate to invite me to your event. I’m nearly half-way through my mayoral term now and things are pretty hectic between now and Christmas but I’ll fit you in unless I already have an engagement, and there are nearly five months to go after the New Year! So bring it on!
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 09:39:18 +0000
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