Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole 2006/07

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David  Butt, opened the annual Christmas Bazaar at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Poole.

The Mayor, herself a Eucharistic Minister and active member of the congregation at St Mary's, was delighted to address the assembled buyers and stall holders to open the fete. Kept warm by a glass of mulled wine, she toured the many varied stalls, making a number of purchases in preparation for Christmas and meeting her many old friends who had organized and were attending the fete. For more information about St Mary's Church, see www.stmarysrcpoole.co.uk/.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I was the lucky girl who got to welcome Father Christmas when he arrived on his ‘sleigh' in the car park outside.  He gave me a lovely Christmas hug and then I settled him into his ‘snow cave' so he would feel at home and all our little children were absolutely delighted to visit him and tell him of their special Christmas wishes.  I was also equally delighted when my husband David and I won the Christmas photograph caption competition where you had to think of a witty statement to match the picture, which was great fun. The Bazaar has been a regular event since the Church was opened in 1976 and is always very well attended. They raised nearly £3000 in just over 3 hours.  I am looking forward to opening many other Christmas Fairs and Bazaars over the coming festive period and wish all fund raisers good luck in their endeavours!!"

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with her husband Mr David  Butt and Father Mark Skelton at the St Mary's Christmas Bazaar.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with her husband Mr David Butt and some old friends at the St Mary's Christmas Bazaar.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, wins a raffle prize at the St Mary's Christmas Bazaar - watch for it in a Mayor's Charity raffle soon!

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, greets Santa at the St Mary's Christmas Bazaar.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with some of her younger fans at the St Mary's Christmas Bazaar.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David  Butt, offered ex-library books for sale at the Mayor's Charity Book Sale at the Dolphin Centre, assisted by volunteer staff from the Central Library, fellow Councillors, friends and family.

The books are obsolete stock belonging to Poole Council's Library Service. While valuable books are disposed of individually at market price, most surplus stock has little resale value and costs more to store or destroy than the books are worth. Many years ago the Library Plan Committee which consisted of Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Cllr Mrs Sandra Moore and officers from the library were faced with the ever growing mountain of books that were no longer in demand by borrowers in our libraries. Cllrs Butt and Moore came up with the brainwave of selling the surplus books and donating the monies to the then Mayor's Charity Appeal Fund. Ever since then the pioneering Councillors, supported by the selfless stalwart volunteers from the Library Service, have been holding  sales to dispose of the unwanted books and donating the proceeds to the Mayor's Charity Appeal. This is an excellent opportunity for the residents of Poole to benefit from the project, instead of being laid to a detriment if money had to be spent to dispose of the stock.

The Mayor fitted in a short visit between other engagements and spent time chatting to passing shoppers, selling bags of books and signing them for customers. The book sale is always very popular, and despite the many boxes and crates of books that arrived during the day, by mid-afternoon almost the entire stock had been sold, and the sale even closed a little early because there was nothing left to sell! For more information about Poole's libraries, see www.boroughofpoole.com/categories.asp?id=262B549E7AFE4A&title=Libraries.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I particularly want to thank the members of library staff who gave their time freely to help raise money for my chosen charities and my marvelous band of regular supporters, many thanks to you, long may we continue to ensure that the written word is ever available to all our communities."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with some of her helpers: Library Manager Mrs Margaret Duckmanton, Cllr Mrs Sandra Moore and Charity Committee member Mrs Anne Barnley, at the book sale.

Lots of passing shoppers browsing over the books at the Mayor's Charity book sale.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, discovers just the book she needed, much to the amusement of her son Charlie at the Mayor's Charity book sale.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, sells a bag of books at the Mayor's Charity book sale.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David  Butt, attended the Annual Christmas Dinner Reception for Poole Hospital Volunteers.

The Mayor and her Consort as the guests of honour were delighted to take supper with the Chief Executive of Poole Hospital NHS Trust Mrs Sue Sutherland and her husband, Trust Chairman Mr Peter Harvey, the Chief Nursing Officer and his wife and other senior officers from the hospital.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "The food was delicious and really the first full meal I had eaten in nearly two weeks!  I couldn't wait to tour all the tables of honoured guest volunteers to find out what they did and to thank them on behalf of everyone in Poole for being there as a constant support to the working structure and functionality of the hospital. These wonderful people ranging from 14 to 94 years old give so much time, in fact I had suggested that if we were given a £1 for every hour of volunteer work completed we could build a brand new hospital! I am unsure as to the owner of quote but the saying goes that if all volunteers downed tools at breakfast we would have pure anarchy by lunchtime, so with that sombre thought in mind, long may they have the strength and drive to continue in their vocations!!"

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with senior managers of Poole Hospital NHS Trust, including Chief Executive Mrs Sue Sutherland (front row, 2^nd left) and Chairman Mr Peter Harvey (front row, centre).

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David  Butt opened ‘Desire', a Contemporary Christmas Fair organized by Coastal Creatives at the Study Gallery. Running for the whole weekend, the first evening was a Charity Gala Evening dedicated to raising funds for the Poole Hospital Wish List charity.

The Mayor spent a happy hour meeting the 250 artists and designers from across the South of England and browsing the colourful displays which included jewellery, textiles, ceramics, photography, paintings, sculptures and fashion. Live entertainment was provided by an opera singer, and the evening included a fashion show. For more information about Coastal Creatives, see http://www.coastalcreatives.co.uk/.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "It was very difficult to concentrate on anything other than the fabulous array of art and specialist crafts as the Study Gallery was lit from top to toe with light and colour. It was truly dazzling and an awful lot to take in during the short hour I had before going on to my next engagement. Luckily for David we had left our cheque book at home as the choice and standard of products on offer was unbelievably tempting!!"

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with by her husband Mr David  Butt and Mrs Rachael Johns, Events Director of Coastal Creatives, during the Charity Gala Evening at the Study Gallery.

The magnificent Christmas decorative display at the Charity Gala Evening at the Study Gallery.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, admires sculptures at the Charity Gala Evening at the Study Gallery.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, checks out the latest fashions at the Charity Gala Evening at the Study Gallery.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, opened the newly refurbished Health and Fitness Suite at Rossmore Leisure Centre.

In her first engagement since leaving hospital, the Mayor made an amusing welcome speech and then cut a huge ribbon to open the new suite. For more information about the Centre, see www.slm-leisure.co.uk/centres/rossmore/.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I'm a strong supporter of keeping fit, especially cycling and swimming - my fitness played a huge role in enabling me to bounce back from my recent illness so quickly. I was particularly impressed with the huge selection of exercise programmes that everyone can choose from, each one for a different part of the body and at a pace that suits the individual. I found one that was actually made just for me as is illustrated in the accompanying photographs!!  The work that has been going on behind the scenes to bring the first of the three Sports Centres up to spec. is pretty astonishing and a true credit to all the agencies involved. "

An exercise programme at Rossmore Fitness Suite - inspired by our Mayor??

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, left hospital on Wednesday evening and she is now at home recovering from the serious illness which necessitated an 8 day stay in Poole General Hospital, including three days in the Intensive Care Unit.

After battling a flu bug for several days, the infection turned into a particularly virulent microbial viral infection on top of the pneumonia she was already suffering from, which resulted in an emergency admission to the ICU in Poole Hospital. However, following treatment Cllr Mrs Judy Butt quickly bounced back and has already undertaken 6 Mayoral engagements since leaving hospital, and undaunted she will very soon be returning to her accustomed hectic pace.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I couldn't believe how many get well cards, goods wishes and flowers I received, it was the best medicine that anyone could have had and I'd like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for their prayers, kindnesses and amazingly generous support of David and the children, who so needed comfort and fortitude at such a horribly worrying time.  I am extremely grateful to the Deputy Mayor and his wife, the Sheriff and his Lady and Cllr Les Burden for stepping into the breach and completing nearly a dozen of the 25 engagements that I was unable to attend during my 8 day illness. I would also especially like to thank the staff at Poole Hospital, as without their swift, professional and compassionate intervention I would not be here, an extremely sobering thought but with a very happy outcome."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, was admitted to Poole Hospital last week suffering from a serious viral infection.

The Mayor had been fighting a flu virus for several days but was determined to battle on and meet the many important engagements which were due. She is now responding well to treatment and making a slow but steady recovery, but will need several weeks to recuperate before resuming engagements. In the meantime, those engagements which cannot be postponed will be covered by the Deputy Mayor, and all the Mayor's Charity events are continuing as planned.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, asked to convey her sincere thanks to everyone for their kind thoughts and wishes. It means a great deal to her that the people of Poole are being so caring and supportive of her at this time.

Progress reports will be posted on the Mayor's personal diary on this site. For anyone who wishes to send cards etc., please forward them to the Mayor's Secretary, Mrs Jo Clements tel. 01202 633200 email j.clements@poole.gov.uk. Please do not contact the hospital directly, as the Mayor is not fit to receive visitors just yet.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, gave her support to Mrs Tina Scotney for a sponsored head-shave at the Dolphin Centre to raise funds for Children in Need and the Mayor of Poole's Charity Appeal. For more information about Children in Need, see www.childreninneed.org.uk/.

The Mayor had previously assisted Tina in planning the event and had advised on obtaining sponsorship, and also encouraged her own son, Daniel Butt, to join in and have his own head shaved as well. Having set up their pitch in a prime location in the Dolphin Centre, the preparations attracted the attention of many passing shoppers as well as personal supporters, and a huge crowd gathered to witness the event. Tina offered passers-by the opportunity to clip a lock of her hair in exchange for a small donation, and her luxuriant dark brown crowning glory fluttered to the floor as people queued up for a snip, some of them more than once, until at last it was left for the professional hairdresser to finish the job.

Daniel's turn followed swiftly, and with less hair to lose it was not long before he was briefly sporting a ‘Mohican' style haircut reminiscent of a one-time wrestling star, before that too landed on the floor.

Disappointed at being unable to be there, the Mayor, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, sent her best wishes and encouragement to both of the participants.

Poole Council employee Tina Scotney (rear centre), Mayor's son Daniel Butt and some of their supporters at the sponsored hair-shave.

The first snip - a closely-supervised young Brownie makes the first cut at Tina Scotney's sponsored hair-shave.

Two newly-shorn lambs - Tina Scotney and Daniel Butt after the sponsored hair-shave.

A Quiz Night, run for the Mayor of Poole's Charity Appeal by her Charity Committee at the Civic Centre, proved to be a huge success with every ticket sold and the hall packed out with over 120 contestants.

In a very close-run contest, 21 teams competed through six rounds of questions and two picture quizzes to win individual trophies and chocolates. The evening was punctuated by a raffle with twenty superb prizes, overall raising a magnificent £715 for the Mayor's Charity Appeal.

Mrs Jackie Maynard, Chairman of the Mayor's Charity Committee, said "We missed having the Mayor, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, at the quiz but at least knowing she was improving meant we could relax and enjoy the evening. The turnout was fantastic and everyone had such a wonderful time that we may have to consider whether we can find a date for another quiz in the spring."

Standing room only - every seat sold out at the Mayor's Charity Quiz Night.

Charity Committee Chairman Mrs Jackie Maynard with the winning team at the Mayor's Charity Quiz Night.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David Butt and her family, the Sheriff and his Lady and Poole Council Chief Executiveand his wife, attended Poole's annual Service of Remembrance in Poole Park.

On a cold but bright sunny morning, many Councillors and Council managers, leaders and members of local organizations including representatives from all three military services, and many veterans of World War 2 and subsequent conflicts took part in a moving service led by the Mayor's Chaplain Father Mark Skelton, then paraded through the Park to honour those who gave their lives for their country and fellow citizens. The Lord Lieutenant of Dorset laid the first wreath at the memorial, closely followed by the Mayor and many other leading figures, and after the service the memorial was made available for any other residents who wished to follow suit. Many local residents turned out to join in the proceedings and watch the parade, clocking up the highest turnout for at least a decade.

Following the parade a reception was held at the Civic Centre for the participants, during the Mayor took the opportunity to meet and chat with all those who attended.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I wouldn't have missed this service for the world; I couldn't help remembering my own dear father who fought in the war and passed away before his time as a result of his experiences. We all owe a great debt not only to those who gave their lives for us, but also their families, and all those who survived but suffered greatly for their sacrifice. I was especially moved by the unprecedented number of our own residents who came out to pay their respects and support the veterans."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, lays a wreath at the war memorial during the annual Service of Remembrance in Poole Park.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, in the parade preceded by her two mace bearers and accompanied by her two Youth Escorts during the annual Service of Remembrance in Poole Park.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dorset and flanked by her macebearers, watches the parade pass following the annual Service of Remembrance in Poole Park.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with two of the World War 2 veterans at the reception following the annual Service of Remembrance in Poole Park.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her Consort Mr David Butt, visited Westminster Cathedral to celebrate the 175^th anniversary of the Sisters of Mercy order. The Sisters of Mercy are a Roman Catholic order of nuns, first established in 1831 in Birmingham by Catherine McAuley, and now with convents around the world, all dedicated to service to those in need.

On arrival in London, the Mayor and her party were met by the Mayor's Chaplain Father Mark Skelton of St Marys RC Church, Wimborne Road, and Sister Anne Joseph, a member of the Sisters of Mercy from Poole and teacher to all of the Mayor's children. Cllr Mrs Judy Butt and her husband David Butt were then deeply honoured to be introduced to His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

There followed a moving mass which lasted for over two hours and was attended by more than 100 priests from all around the UK and abroad, which included a procession depicting the major events of the Sisters' long history. The Mayor's day concluded with a celebratory lunch in a restaurant near the Cathedral. For more information about Westminster Cathedral, see www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "This was a very special day for me; I was educated at a convent school in South Brent and have many fond memories of those days, so I have a great appreciation and deep respect for the Sisters' invaluable work. They make an important contribution to our society in Poole, nationally and indeed around the world, and I hope and believe they will still be serving those in need in another 175 years."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with her Mayor's Chaplain Father Mark Skelton, Sister Anne Joseph of the Sisters of Mercy, and Canon Peter Webb of Our Lady of Fatima RC Church in Parkstone, outside Westminster Cathedral.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, meets His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, outside Westminster Cathedral.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David Butt, attended the annual Bournemouth University Awards Presentation.

The Mayor was witness to over 400 students receiving their degrees.  Pro Chamcellor Lady Digby took up post as Chancellor on Lord Taylor of Warwick's retirement, the announcement being made at the beginning of the ceremony.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said " David and I proceeded by the Mace Bearers and the  two large gold Mayoral Maces, led to huge procession of Civic Dignitaries, the University Board, Senate Members and Chancellors into the packed auditorium and onto the enormous stage set out in blue and gold University colours for the great event.  There were a huge number of ‘Firsts' awarded and I was so very proud of the magnificent achievement of all the under and post graduates as of course were their parents and families who sat and beamed in the audience for the whole 2½ hour ceremony".

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with her husband Mr David Butt, and one of the University Board members and his wife.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David Butt, was delighted to open Poole's newest and brightest clothes store Primark in the Dolphin Centre.

Customers were already queuing outside the store at eight am, and the Dolphin Centre's security team were out in force to ensure all went smoothly. When the Mayor arrived at 8.40, all of the store's management and staff were assembled at the entrance to welcome her and listen to the opening speeches, during which some of the impatient shoppers were showing signs of trying to break down the shutters to gain access!

Undeterred Cllr Mrs Judy Butt told the staff she had carte blanche from her husband to spend as much as necessary in their shop and was already planning her first shopping expedition in a few days time, then took up an enormous pair of blue scissors to cut a blue ribbon and declare the store open. Giving the sales staff a few seconds to reach their posts, the security men raised the shutters and stood well clear as hundreds of shoppers stormed into the store, and as the Mayor left shortly afterwards for her next engagement, the tills were already recording the first of many thousands of purchases to come.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I was delighted to open this store - a new high quality low cost clothes store will make a strongly positive contribution to the local economy.  The staff are definitely the new stores greatest asset and their enthusiasm and positive attitude is a wonderful advertisement for the company."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, helped by Store Manager Linda Elliott and a PRIMARK director, cuts a ribbon to open the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, congratulates the first customer at the opening of the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with her husband David Butt, admire the first baby to enter the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre. The Mayor then awarded them a £25 voucher to help with their shopping.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with her husband David Butt, and the senior management team at the opening of the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, was delighted to take an unexpected preview of the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre in Poole, which she was due to open the following day.

Escorted by Store Manager Linda Elliott and Regional Manager Chris Armitage, the Mayor spent a happy hour rummaging through the many and varied attractive clothes on offer, planning her first shopping trip to the shop in a few days time. Following the tour of the store, the Mayor met the management team and many members of staff who, although busy with the many last minute tasks, still found time to tell the Mayor how pleased they were to be working for such a quality employer.

The Mayor heard from Chris Armitage that PRIMARK had acquired and were reopening 41 large Littlewoods stores in prime locations, converting 1 million square feet of previous shopping space to 1.4 million in their new stores. They had been looking for a potential site in Poole for a long time, and were delighted when the opportunity arose. With total refitting from the bare shell completed, they had brought in eight juggernauts full of stock and displays and had taken just two weeks to fully equip the store in a meticulously planned military-style operation. They had recruited 196 employees already and were still filling vacancies.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "I was confused at first about where the third sales floor had come from - I was sure it wasn't there before but then discovered that PRIMARK had utilized the old stockroom to display their clothing.  I was extremely impressed with the way the staff took ownership of the store, welcoming me in a very positive and cheerful manner."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, examines a dress with PRIMARK Regional Manager Chris Armitage and Store Manager Linda Elliott at the new store in the Dolphin Centre.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, looks through the t-shirts at the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, tries on a dress at the new PRIMARK store in the Dolphin Centre.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, met the two talented young artists from Poole Grammar School,chosen by her to portray her pictorial design for this years Mayor's Christmas Card.

The new cards will be sent to the many members of the community with whom the Mayor has had dealings during the past year, and the Mayor's revolutionary design remains a closely guarded secret until they are sent.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "It becomes more difficult each year to find a unique design that will best represent all the factors associated with Christmas.  I had many ideas but sadly not the time to put them to paper. On a recent visit to Poole Grammar School I was particularly impressed with the GCSE coursework for Art and immediately asked Mr Ian Carter the head teacher whether he would lend me two of his artists for my proposed project, luckily he was very happy to help and I am very much looking forward to seeing the first design draft later in the week!"

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with the two talented young artists from Poole Grammar School, in her Parlour.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, met Mr Jonathan Sibbett, of Sibbett Gregory Chartored Surveyors, a local businessman with other guests in her Parlour.

They discussed the future regeneration of Poole and the impact it will have in general on the residents but most especially on businesses within the town.  Mr Sibbett is very eager to support the town's heritage and offered to sponsor  the Beating of the Sea Bounds in 2007.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "The kindness and generosity that I have received from our business community in raising funds to support my three chosen charities this year, never ceases to amaze me.  Jonathan has played a substantial part in providing the Admirals Barge for the Beating of the Sea Bounds Celebrations, it is important to bear in mind that every pound of sponsorship received is another pound or more for my three chosen charities."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Mr Jonathan Sibbett, of Sibbett Gregory Chartered Surveyors, in her Parlour.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, held a meeting with Mr Dave Pickett, acting Manager of the Dolphin Centre in Poole.

Areas of discussion involved the many Charity Events that the Mayor will be holding in and around the Dolphin cenmtre over the next six months and how best they can support her endeavours.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said " I was very pleased to speak to David and discover some of the difficulties he faces within the Dolphin Centre, matters that one would not normally imagine would be a problem.  For instance the impact of the bus station on the centre, David is delighted that the station is to get a £250,000 facelift and that the needs of our young people amongst others have been considered in the project.  He was also very positive in his comments regarding a new huge retail clothing outlet that is opening this week, in the employment opportunities and breadth of choices it will provide for its staff and consumers.  "

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Mr David Pickett, acting Manager of the Dolphin Centre, in the Mayor's Parlour.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, explored Poole Council's Mobile Youth Bus on it's regular visit to the Creekmoor Skateboard Park at Fleetsbridge.

The Mayor was impressed by the facilities offered by the bus, which is a regular welcome visitor to many locations favoured by young people all over the Borough. Cllr Mrs Judy took the opportunity to talk to two teenagers who were practicing their skateboarding, finding they were semi-professional and lived nearby. She also talked to those using the park about her proposed art project to utilise the motorway support pillars on the site as mural walls to improve the character of the area and gained unqualified approval.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said " The Creekmoor Skate Park Project has been many years in the making and has received excellent support from Community leaders as well as the residents themselves.  The next step now I feel is to provide a bright environment for the youngsters that use the park, but ensuring that the choices of artwork stem from the youngsters and indeed are even painted by them. My idea is to engage local artists to draw out an outline of the preferred designs and the users of the park together with mums and dads, grannies and grampas and anyone who so wishes to be part of the project to complete the paintings.  It will look superb when it is complete and be a modern asset to the local area."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Youth Services staff and the Mobile Youth Bus at Creekmoor Skateboard Park at Fleetsbridge.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with two young skateboarders at Creekmoor Skateboard Park at Fleetsbridge.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, met Mr Chris Owen, recently appointed head of Poole Council's Customer Services.

The Mayor, a great advocator of communicating effectively by using modern technology and a initial driving force behind the original project, heard about the department's functions, future plans and how they were making a difference, and offered several suggestions to further improve the service.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said " I was delighted when Chris asked to see me as this gave me an ideal opportunity to be updated on present progress and to be told when and how the next three tranches of service expansion are to come on board.  I have been greatly impressed with our new customer service personnel, in their constancy and commitment to ensuring that the first contact with the Council is positive and meaningful."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Customer Services Head Mr Chris Owen in the Mayor's Parlour.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, attended a fete at Oakdale Adult Education Centre, organized by the friends of Poole Hospital's Neo-natal Intensive Care unit.

After being greeted by Mrs Shirley Locke, the Mayor took great delight in exploring the many stalls, winning several tombola prizes and buying a jar of tomato jam to try. Cllr Mrs Judy Butt then judged the children's fancy dress competition which was won by a delightful and very young witch.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "  The little girl who won the fancy dress was a mere 2½ years old but had all the grace and confidence of one far beyond her years.  I met several youngsters and babies who had all at some stage benefited from being nursed in the unit and to see them there with there parents and wider families helping to raise funds for other vulnerable new-borns was very touching".

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, trying to extract a pound coin from her husband's wallet at the fete in Oakdale!!

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, purchasing a jar of jam at the fete in Oakdale.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with visitors to the fete in Oakdale.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with the fancy dress competition winners at the fete in Oakdale.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, presented a number of cheques to various charities on behalf of the Jolly Pirates of Poole at the Blue Boar Inn in Poole.

Held in the basement bar at the Blue Boar with its low vaulted ceiling, brickwork, low lighting and surrounded by shipping memorabilia from Poole's past, the venue had all the ambience of a real pirates' den. After being greeted by Roger Laird, secretary of the Jolly Pirates, the Mayor met all the members present, including such well-known characters as Ray Knight of the Poole Fishermen's Association and Jonathan Clarke, Poole's lifeboat skipper, and many more.

The Mayor was delighted to present several cheques for donations, raised during the Fishermen's Regatta on Paye Day during the summer (in which the Mayor launched the event, hosed down the attacking pirates' boats and judged the regatta fancy dress competition amongst many other duties that day), to organizations which included Poole Rowing Club, Bournemouth Scout Band and RNLI Poole, plus a superb £1000 to the Poole Hospital Wish List, and a magnificent £1581 to the Poole & District Children's Cancer Fund. In an unexpected turnaround, Roger Laird also presented a cheque for £50 to the Mayor for her Charity Fund, in grateful thanks for her enthusiastic support during her term of office.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "The Jolly Pirates are a wonderful crew and they will be sadly missed in future years, as due to a lot of the members being well into their 70's and some even in their 80's they have now disbanded.  However as a special favour to me they have agreed to put in one last performance for my Beating of the Sea Bounds event which is taking place next April 28^th  2007. I am deeply grateful and very honoured that they have agreed to support me and all the agencies involved on this very special day. Make sure to put it in your diary! "

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, receiving her cheque from one of the Jolly Pirates at the Blue Boar Inn.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with local hero Mr Jonathan Clark, coxswain of the Poole lifeboat, at the Blue Boar Inn.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, presenting a cheque to Poole & District Children's Cancer Trust at the Blue Boar Inn.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her Consort Mr David Butt, members of her Charity Committee and many supporters, held the first Mayor's Charity Car Boot sale at the winter venue at the Civic Centre multi-storey car park.

On a very cold, bright and sunny morning, about 25 stalwarts turned out to set up their stalls, and there was a steady flow of buyers throughout the morning. The coincidence with Fireworks weekend meant that that numbers were less than usual for the monthly car boot sales, but the event still managed to raise £149 for the Mayor's Charities.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "It was lovely and warm in the sun, but the unfortunates on the gate got really chilly!! The hot food van did great business with their superb bacon burgers and hot drinks - I strongly recommend them for a warm-up. We will be having a fancy dress special for our next Christmas car boot at the same venue, so we are looking forward to a bit of fun that day, prize fro the best costume. So dust off your Santa/Christmas Fairy outfits and we will see you there, Saturday 2^nd December at the Civic Centre Multi-storey Car Park for our Christmas Car Boot Special."

A steady flow of customers at the Mayor's Charity Car Boot.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with two of the stallholders, who had come all the way from Weymouth.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, accompanied by her husband and Consort Mr David Butt attended a superb concert of the Life Guards Band, organized by Poole Women's Institute to celebrate the WI's 90^th year since formation, they were greeted by the President of the WI Mrs June Austin.

The band, led by WO1 Craig Hallet, were dressed in stunning bright post office red frock coats with shining steel spurs on their ‘bulled' dress boots. 

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "My little penchant towards uniforms, especially if a gentleman is in one, is well-known!! I wondered why our own Mr Martin Baker Chief Constable of Dorset was invited by the WI to attend with his lovely wife Trudy - it suddenly dawned on me at the interval when I made a swift bee line for WO Hallet and the Chief Constable edged towards me that his presence must be to protect the smartly turned out Bandsmen - from me!! Obviously as a member of the Dorset Police Authority Board I need extra surveillance and Mr Baker readily agreed to this point. I was also a little surprised but delighted to be asked to come onto the stage and speak to the 1100 people sitting expectantly in front of me. Once I had reiterated the uniform story and the Chief Constable's involvement as above and a few other ‘Jammie' jokes all was well and I left the stage, kissing the handsome WO1 prior to departure, much to the delight of the 1100 ostensibly ‘retired' audience that had come from all over the country by coach for this fabulous event.  Commenting that 90 years is a very long time, I asked the audience to remind me of some of the events of 1916 and felt quite humbled when a gent replied that the battles of the Somme in WW1 would have been raging. Later I discovered that the WI was formed as a result of all the widows that were made during the War, in order to offer those who were grieving mutual support.  A special highlight of the evening was a guest appearance by Lt Col (Retd) Malcolm Torrent, the recently retired Life Guard Band Leader; WO1 Hallet invited him onto the stage to conduct the Band in playing there Life Guard Anthem, a truly special moment for Lt Col Torrent and all present."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with by her husband Mr David Butt,  bandleader WO1 Craig Hallet and President of the WI Mrs June Austin at the Life Guards concert.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with bandleader WO1 Craig Hallet, President of the WI Mrs June Austin, past bandleader Lt Col Malcolm Torrent, and Mr Martin Baker Chief Constable of Dorset with his wife Trudy at the Life Guards concert.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, met with a panel of nine judges including the Sheriff, the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council together with other councillors and council officers in her Parlour to judge the recipients of next year's Poole Civic Awards, to be presented in January.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "The criterion for the Civic Awards this year, was as ‘a year of the volunteer', rewarding people for making a difference in the community rather than achieving personal success.  The panel found the task extremely difficult and with over 44 nominees it took some considerable debate and teasing out of the contributions made by each individual nominee before 7 award winners were chosen.  Many of the nominees although not Civic Award winners are to be put forward for Community Champion Awards, many of these will be gold standard and I very much look forward to welcoming the future winners of this award to the parlour to receive their Dolphin Pins."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, reopened the offices of Lewis Innovative Investments Ltd in Poole.

The Mayor was greeted by a lady fire-juggler on stilts, who performed some spectacular tricks with burning torches. After being introduced to managers in a packed marquee, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt was given a guided tour of the company's spacious and impressive new offices. The Mayor who worked for Nat West Investments for many years and is herself a qualified financial advisor punctuated this with some thought-provoking suggestions on interesting new ways of organizing company finances.  She was delighted to give her usual humorous touch to the relaunch by addressing the packed marquee in her usual informal style, although the jokes were all based in finance they hit the mark on the evening. The event continued with a band and friendly socializing, which kept the Mayor far beyond her intended departure time. For more information about the company, see www.lewisinvestment.co.uk/.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "Although deep in the world of investment and finance I must say that I have never seen so many potential male/female models in one room at the same time!! Everyone looked absolutely stunning and were all set for a super night which indeed it was. Lewis Innovative Investment, headed by Mr Tim Lewis has worked incredibly hard since 1987 building up this now very successful company.  Regardless of your financial resources you can gain excellent advice and support from this empathetic and receptive team focused family business."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Mr Tim Lewis and a senior manager, with the lady fire-juggler on stilts at the new offices of Lewis Innovative Investments Ltd in Poole.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with some of the catering staff at the Lewis Innovative Investments Ltd office relaunch.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, receiving a bouquet from Mr Tim Lewis at the Lewis Innovative Investments Ltd office relaunch.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, met Miss Tina Scotney in her Parlour to offer advice and discuss her proposed charity fundraising event for Children in Need in the Dolphin Centre at 4pm outside Marks and Spencers Friday Nov 17^th."

Tina, who works for Borough of Poole, in the Financial Services dept also acts as a Brownie leader in her spare time, (Little Owl). She is proposing to allow her head to be shaved for the charity Children in Need and wanted to obtain advice on the best way to raise sponsorship, and was referred to the Mayor as one of the most effective fundraisers in the Borough. The Mayor, having arranged the best venue for the event, was then able to make a number of suggestions to maximize the publicity and sponsorship.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "Tina is extremely brave and frankly a  little mad, she has a lovely head of dark brown hair to keep her head warm in this very chilly weather and she intends to have it all removed to raised money for Children in Need!!  I was delighted to be able to support her in planning the event and on the day to make the first ‘snip'. In order to keep her company my son Daniel who has had his head shaved previously with the Leader of the Council for the Charity SCOPE has volunteered to repeat the sacrifice and join Tina in her hair raising event on the day, It has to be said however that Dan has much less hair and a hairless chap is not an uncommon sight, so anyone who has spare woolly hat please let Tina know I am sure she will be grateful to hear from you, knowing her though any hats she receives she will have sold on e-bay before the day is out in support of her chosen Children in Need Charity!! See you all there in the Dolphin Centre at 4pm outside Marks and Spencers Friday Nov 17^th. "

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Miss Tina Scotney in her Parlour discussing her proposed charity fundraising event for Children in Need.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, presented a Gold Community Champion Award to Mr Ralph Monk in her Parlour, he was joined by Mr Dennis Blacker, Chairman of Age Concern, and Mr Terry Purnell of Help and Care.

Born of Russian parents who came to Britain in World War 2, Mr Monk has lived most of his life in Whitechapel in London's East End, moving to the Poole area in the early 1990's. A veteran volunteer, he became involved with the Help & Care charity and has been part of the organization for some 4 years, after many years helping out at Poole Hospital. At the age of 89, he has also just taken up reading to young children in his local school.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "Ralph and many others like him are a marvellous example to us all and the true face of the reluctant hero. With many families these days separated due to relationship breakdowns the role model of grandparent is sometimes sadly lacking and Ralph to his amazement has become a Grampa figure in his chosen school much to the delight of the children and teachers."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, with Gold Community Champion Award winner Mr Ralph Monk in her Parlour.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, met executive members of her Charity Committee to plan the transfer of her monthly Saturday morning car boot sales to the winter venue at the Civic Centre multi-storey car park, commencing in November.

The change of venue presents some unique challenges, due to the more limited space and height available, which will need to be overcome by slightly different organization and more signs.

Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, Mayor of Poole, said "This venue will allow us to continue holding car boot sales during the winter with no worries about being closed down by bad weather. Despite the relocation, I am sure our regular buyers and sellers will continue to come, and the town centre location will attract new customers from the Saturday morning shoppers passing by."

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Mrs Judy Butt, presented c