Report on Mayor’s Sunday

Report on Mayor’s Sunday that went ahead last Sunday, 22nd January, delayed from September due to the death of the Queen. We did not have a parade, because given recent weather it seemed to risky to plan but the feedback from those attending was very positive regarding the Service at Church, arranged and led by Karsten, and the reception/ buffet after at the Old Town Hall.

The Service was perfect as far as I’m concerned. A community celebration, with a chance for many in our community who give their time for free able to explain about their project. Twin Harmony agreeing to come along to sing was icing on the cake!

At the Old Town Hall, as it was Mayor’s Sunday, I did take the liberty of getting up on stage and saying a few words. I have copied and pasted them below.

Thank you all for coming today (comment re weather and no parade).

As this is Mayor’s Sunday, I hope you will indulge me with a few words, before we let you lose on the buffet!

First, as you will know from what Karsten said in church, the retiring collection is to benefit Lafrowda Festival and Nancherrow Youth Project. In addition to whatever you have given, I am donating £450 to each project from my Mayor’s Allowance. I chose those 2 projects because I feel Lafrowda Festival is important to our Town and community in many ways, and these events need money to be put on well. Nancherrow is a project for our young people and they are the future of our community so, we need to invest in them.

Sticking with young people, let me introduce you to young Alby Gibson. He is from Trewellard, is 8 years old and is already winning medals for his judo club, in National competitions, including representing Cornwall. I suspect his might be a name we get to see at more National sports events…who knows, we might have a future Olympics competitor in our midst. Well done young Alby!

Now I want to introduce what the Town Council is doing and how you and our community can help with creating Hedgehog highways.

We have become part of the Hedgehog’s R Us Hedgehog Highway Project. One of the main reasons hedgehogs are struggling in Britain is because our fences and walls are becoming more and more secure, reducing the amount of land available to them.

We can make their life a little easier by removing the barriers within our control – for example, by making small holes in or under our garden fences and walls for them to pass through. Hedgehogs travel around one mile every night in their active season in their quest to find enough food and a mate. Here is a Hedgehog Highway surround (Sue holds it up)  which you can use on your fence or wall. These will be available, free from the Library shortly but there are some available today.

Jill Dodds is over there, from hedgepigs and hogletts charity and, if there is anything you want to know about the life of a hedgehog, how to encourage them, how to make that hole to let hedgehogs and other wildlife flow & thrive around our Parish, then do please go and talk with her; that is why she is here, after all.

Also here, if Jill gets a queue, is Kirstein Gill, from First & Last Hedgehog rescue so, we are blessed with local knowledgeable people; people that care about our prickly creatures.

I also want to flag that, on the Town Council’s website you will find a draft report that needs your views so we accurately reflect business and the community view of what you want your town to be like over the next decade. This will be about evolution, not revolution although uncontroversial ideas, that do not need much money or consents, might be taken up and implemented quickly. The report might also be useful for projects we want, that need to attract funding. Do go on-line and have your say or email the team to meet up with them Tuesday.

You have indulged me enough…I’ll now declare the buffet open!

The buffet was 1st class – thanks to Della Boyns. There was plenty of it and despite my going around tables urging guests to go up and have more, quite a bit was left over. Rather than it going to waste, I took it to Street Food project so, those in temporary accommodation (and sadly that is many families) and those homeless on our streets for very many reasons, had a bit of a treat Sunday evening.