johnfletcher

This is Fairtrade Fortnight.  This morning Stockton Fairtrade Borough Partnership held a coffee morning in Stockton Parish Hall, at which we helped.  Stockton is a Fairtrade Borough, so, as Mayor, I launched Stockton's first Fairtrade Directory, listing businesses which sell or use Fairtrade goods, some of which were also on sale this morning.  The Directory scored an immediate win, because one family with a vegetarian member discovered where there was a vegetarian restaurant in Eaglescliffe.  Stockton Parish Church is also a Fairtrade Parish, and we had the help of some of their members together with Stockton Soroptimists.  I was pleased at the number of customers - many regular shoppers in Stockton who call at the Hall for a coffee were introduced to Fairtrade.  The members of the Stockton Fairtrade Steering Group had put in a lot of hard work.

While we were there, a lad said that he had seen a discarded syringe.  A ‘phone call to the Council's out-of-hours service quickly brought a man round, who retrieved some 20 such syringes for safe disposal.

Stockton United Reformed Church of St Andrew & St George was the setting tonight for the Burns' 250^th Anniversary Concert organised by The Teesside Caledonian Society - Robbie Burns was born in 1759. 

The Minister, the Rev. Colin Offor, was the compère.  The Concert began with Mr Ray Bell piping in the performers, followed by songs by Village Primary Choir, Thornaby.  He also began the second half by piping in the haggis, to which the traditional address was given by the Minister.  During the evening we heard renderings of Burns's poems by Jane Anderson (To a Moose and A Man's a Man for A' That, Jimmy Smith (There's Sic a Wife), Mr Jake Dale (Address to the Toothache) and Mr Bell (Holy Willie's Prayer).  Anita Aslin played the harp and young soloists Lara de Belder (mezzo-soprano), Rachael Elliot (violin) and Laura Braithwaite (soprano) performed.  There were songs by the incomparable Tees Valley Youth Choir, under the baton of John Forsyth, whom we shall have the pleasure of hearing again on the next two Saturday evenings.  Suzanne, at the end of her mayoralty, gave a sum of money to provide an annual prize for a member of that Choir. 

The Caledonian Society, which was founded in 1899 under the presidency of the then Mayor of Stockton, made us both very welcome, despite our lack of Scots blood!  There was a very high standard by everyone who performed and we enjoyed our evening thoroughly.

[Photos will appear in the next few days at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog.]

I began the morning by visiting Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary RC Voluntary Aided Primary School, Billingham.  After being greeted by pupils and meeting the Head Teacher (Mr John Lyons) and hearing about the voluntary work which he does in his holidays training teacher in places like East Africa and Sri Lanka, I was ushered robed into the School assembly.  After prayers (including one for the Mayor) and the School hymn, we were entertained to a programme of music by the School orchestra.  This comprised some three dozen children of all ages, playing a variety of instruments, chiefly strings, under the guidance of Tees Valley Music Service.  This orchestra is a marvellous achievement for a primary school of 171 pupils.  After I had given a short talk, I was then taken on a detailed tour of the School by two pupil "ambassadors".  Every classroom was full of interesting display material, from which I learnt, among many things, that the children are reminded of the Roman Catholic faith and the UNICEF Children's Rights & Responsibilities, learn Spanish, can buy healthy fresh fruit to eat - and much more.  I told them that on behalf of the Council I had signed a re-affirmation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  I then met the School Council, who asked me searching questions, some of which I had not previously faced.  I was given a copy of a book written by children of the School - Schola's Story- The story of an African Child, published in 2005 by Encircling Publications.  This was a really interesting school visit.

We then went to Stockton Central Library for the Customer First Awards Ceremony for Council staff.  This began with a short address by the Chief Executive (Mr Neil Schneider), who presented awards to services which had completed the Customer First Stage 2 Programme - Client Property & Financial Affairs, Customer Care, Environmental Health, Families Information Service, Human Resources, Planning Services and Tees Achieve.   I then gave a speech and presented awards for customer service excellence to Thornaby Central Library team (team winners), Environmental Policy Team, Corporate Administration Team, Registration & Bereavement Team, Susan Walton (Social Care) (individual winner), Mr Peter Nardone, Mr Kevin Easton and Christine Vipond.  I then presented the receptions awards to Planning Services (Best Reception), Roseworth Library & Municipal Buildings (Best Reception Runners-up), Registration & Bereavement (Most Improved Reception) and Sarah Jane Wilson (Benefits Service) (Best Receptionist).  I compared customer service by our Council's staff favourably with that I had experienced from private-sector call centres.  I know that no-one, no organisation is perfect, but a lot of Council staff are clearly doing their utmost, and I was very pleased to be able to give out well deserved awards.

Unfortunately, I have deleted in error from our camera the photos for today's engagements.

In the hope of attracting people who come out of work at around that time to come inside and look round our historic Town Hall in Stockton, I held a coffee afternoon there from 4 to 6 p.m. in aid of my charities.  However, despite publicity, only five people turned up, although, as has often happened, these included two lifelong residents of this Borough who had never been inside before.  

In the evening I held a reception for Student Community Action in Durham University (SCAD), especially for students on Queen's Campus.  We enjoyed interesting conversations with a lively group of students and organisers, and gave them a tour of the building.  Looking at their website, one can see the impressive range of ways in which they have been involved in the community.

[Photos will appear at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog in the next few working days.]

My mayoral day began with a meeting in the Municipal Buildings with Officers, including the Directors of Resources and of Law & Democracy.  This was to run through the procedural points which might arise at this evening's full Council Meeting.

I then walked over to Stockton Town Hall for a Citizenship Ceremony.  This time there were 11 adult candidates and three minors becoming British Citizens.  There were a number of Filipinas (all but one working at North Tees Hospital), together with people from Iran, Iraq and Zimbabwe.  One couple and their two delightful children, who were all becoming British Citizens, brought a friend from St Joseph's School, and I posed for a photo with them all to take back to school, in addition to the usual group picture.  In addition, the Council's photographer took the usual official photo of each candidate with me, which is sent to him/her afterwards.  As always, a happy occasion for everyone!

This evening I chaired the Council meeting to set the budget for the year ending 31^st March 2010 and indicative figures for the two following years.  The meeting went well; we had a proper debate on the one point on which political parties differed and then voted on the amendment.

[Photos will appear in the next few days at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog.]

Our mayoral day began in the Holliday Building of Queen's Campus, where some dozen lady employees of Durham University had assembled for a publicity launch of the Butterwick Midnight Hike 2009.  On 11^th July 2009 there will be a sponsored walk on Stockton riverside for ladies/women/girls only (it depends which bit of the leaflet you read!), in aid of Butterwick Hospice Care, in which these ladies will be taking part.  The new Infinity Bridge, now scheduled for official opening on 14^th May 2009, provided a wonderful backdrop for the press photographs, and will be used for the walk.  People can walk different lengths and there will be a bacon sandwich for all who finish the walk!  Details of how to join the walk are available from midnightwalk@butterwick.org.uk.

I then went to my Parlour to be briefed on the Customer First engagement I have for Friday lunchtime.

There followed a lunchtime civic reception for representatives of organisations which host Durham University Community Placement.  Under this scheme, medical students doing their pre-clinical training at Queen's Campus spend half a day a week working out in the community, helping in a variety of roles.  This is part of Durham University's policy of emphasising care for the whole person in medical training.   I was very proud of this initiative from our local University and it was good to hear that it is being adopted elsewhere now.  In addition to thanking the host organisations, the reception was an opportunity for them to network with each other.  19 organisations were represented, with ten more sending apologies.  All that we spoke to told us how much they valued the students and what they brought to the organisation, so it is "win, win".  Some were familiar to us, some less so, as a few were outside this Borough, but it was good to meet them all.

My evening reception was for this Borough's market traders.  In enjoying the opportunity to buy fresh food and other goods at reasonable prices and attracting people into our town centres on market days we must not forget that this involves the market traders in rising before dawn and standing all day in the open, often in unpleasant weather.  In these difficult times it is good to know that Stockton has such a good market.  I was very pleased that the Council's Markets administration had also invited along representatives of the Council's Care For Your Area team.  Without their efforts clearing away the rubbish inevitably created by open-air markets the town centres would not be pleasant places for the evening.

We felt that all who came to both receptions enjoyed themselves and had a pleasant time meeting each other and eating Tees Cuisine's buffets.

[Photos will be at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog in the next few days.]

This afternoon we represented this Borough at a memorial service in St Mary's Cathedral (RC Diocese of Middlesbrough) at Coulby Newham, remembering all those lost in tragic circumstances, organised by SAMM (Support After Murder and Manslaughter).  The MP for Stockton North, Middlesbrough Borough councillors and the Police were also there.  In a simple but moving service, the homily was preached by the Bishop of Middlesbrough (the Rt Rev. Terence Drainey).  Photographs of those who had died had been placed by relatives and friends on the altar steps, their names were read out and people lit candles were lit in memory.  Over coffee afterwards many of the congregation of over a hundred said how they had appreciated the service and the chance to feel that they were not alone.  This was the first time that there had been such a service in this area, although there have been such services in Newcastle, and people hoped that there would be another.  If people would like to hear of similar services in future they are invited to write to SAMM, c/o 25 Carlile Hill, Middlesbrough, TS8 9SL or SAMM_Tees@hotmail.co.uk.  SAMM has a helpline at 01287 203341.

[Photos will appear at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog in the next few days.]

During Suzanne's and my terms of office as mayor, it has always been a pleasure to go along to Stockton Parent Support's functions.  We have been made very welcome and we have appreciated the tremendous hard work done by volunteers in this organisation for families and special needs groups.

Tonight was the first time their SportAbility Club's members had been presented with Stockton Sportability Awards, in conjunction with this Council's Stockton Leisure & Sport Development.  The function was in Billingham Synthonia's premises.  The compère was Mr Neil Russell, the Council's Leisure & Sports Development Manager.  After a welcome address from Ruth Benson, Stockton Parent Support's Deputy Manager, I presented certificates and medals on neck ribbons to those who had been nominated in the following categories:

Team of the Year U12 and U16

Coaches of the Year

Inspirational Sports Team of the Year

Volunteer of the Year

Performance of the Year

Best Newcomers

Sport Achievers of the Year

After circulating amongst the audience - many of the youngsters recognised us from past events - we left as they were beginning to enjoy a disco.

[Photos will appear at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog for today & Sunday early next week.]

My fellow trustees and I had our monthly meeting this lunchtime.  Not as many applications this month - all but one from this Borough.  We also decided on the reinvestment of an investment which had matured.

After a committee meeting of my parish council, I joined Suzanne for our first mayoral engagement of the day.  This was a repeat visit to Daisy Chain (one of my mayoral charities) at Calf Fallow Farm, Norton.  On previous visits we had met the staff, helpers and the animals here.

This time, as it was half-term, we could meet the children and their parents.  We were shown round various activities in which they were taking part, including strumming guitars, play dough and painting faces on eggshells.  It's really useful on such occasions that the Council provides me with sticky badges saying "I've met the Mayor". 

A Cleveland Fire Brigade tender from Stockton Fire Station was there, fascinating the children, except when it was called out for a short time to a fire.  That reminds me of a couple of my Christmas presents - a model of the Mayor of Trumpton in his chauffeur-driven car and a DVD of him, as his answer to every problem in his town is to call out the fire brigade.  I've a feeling that I wouldn't get away with that!

We were shown round by Carol, who was pleased at the number of parents who had taken part in focus groups, etc., in order to find out what the users' needs really were.

In the old farm house were stands for various organisations demonstrating how they could help the children and those looking after them.  There isn't space here to write about what they all offered, but you can look up the web links. 

Stockton Parent Support

Eastern Ravens Young Carers Project

The Children's Society Support Plus in Stockton and Middlesbrough.

Aiming High for Disabled Children

Stockton Borough Libraries

Young Persons' Active Health Scheme

This Council's Key Working Development Team

Stockton Families Information Service

MAIN Project

This Council's Welfare Rights Service

We also saw the exterior of Daisy Chain's new building - the outer shell is substantially complete, but much remains to be done inside.   Quite a bit more money is still needed!

After lunch we had the third session of hospitality for Women's Land Army veterans (please see yesterday's blog).  Only 8 veterans and their guests, including one man whose 92^nd birthday was today and a lady who could not join up because she was in a reserved occupation - a factory in Stockton's Skinner Street making brushes for munitions factories.  A reporter and a photographer came from the Evening Gazette.   One lady decided to try to get Land Army "girls" from this area together for a reunion - I hope that she succeeds, as those we have met yesterday and today are a grand lot!  I think that these three receptions will stay in our memories as one of the happiest episodes of my mayoral year.  Our guests were pleased and honoured to be invited and enjoyed themselves.  These feelings were mutual.  Council staff worked together to "go the extra mile" to make this memorable - the Civic Services Officer who made the arrangements and helped on the two days, the Mayor's Attendant, who had collected and displayed material about the Land Army and showed a film about wartime rationing and food growing, and the Housekeepers, who had the Town Hall ready for each session as if no-one had been in before and then supplied everyone with cups of tea and coffee.

As so often is the case when we have parties into the building, many guests had never seen inside the Stockton Town Hall before.  If you, or people you know, have never seen inside (or not for many years), there's an opportunity on Thursday week (26^th February), when I'm having a coffee afternoon in aid of my mayoral charities.  Admission is £2.50 and this time it will be from 4 to 6 p.m., so people can come on their way home from work.

[Photos at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog]

Today was the first day with mayoral engagements after spending last week on holiday in Fuerteventura.   It would be untrue to say that I ignored my mayoralty completely - while we were there we read about exercise areas for older people.  Wanting to see one, we called at the local council offices in La Oliva, where I said "Soy alcalde de Stockton-on-Tees en Inglaterra" while seeking an English-speaking member of staff.  Incidentally, some signs said, "Excellentissimo Ayuntamiento de la Oliva" ("Most Excellent Council of La Oliva"); others "Illustrissimo Ayuntamiento de la Oliva" ("Most Illustrious...").   Does anyone know which is the higher honour and what they do over there to obtain it?

Our first engagement was a lunch time concert by two young soloists.  This was the first of a weekly series of seven concerts, from 1230 to 1330 in St Andrew's & St George's United Reformed Church, Stockton, organised by Valerie Jones.  This is the 18^th year in which this series has been held - it has usually been in Stockton Parish Church, but that building is still without heating.

Today's soloists were Mr Jeremy Evans (cello) and Miss Rebecca Grady (mezzo-soprano), with his mother Mrs Janet Evans and Mr Andrew Christer as accompanists.  Jeremy is a 6^th-form student at Egglescliffe School in the ward I represent and a member of the Ainola Quartet, who played at my mayoral installation on 2^nd April 2008 and before my dinner a week last Friday.  With an appreciative audience we enjoyed their playing.  If you are free at lunchtime any Tuesday up to 31^st March, it's well worth going along.

Then followed in Stockton Town Hall the first of my receptions for former Women's Land Army "girls".  The Government has recently given surviving Land Army members a badge to recognise their efforts in keeping up farm production to feed the country during the 2^nd World War, and suggested to local authorities that receptions be held to honour them.  The numbers accepting invitations in this Borough were such that I have needed to hold three receptions - two this afternoon and one tomorrow afternoon.

The first reception was attended by some two dozen Land Army veterans and their guests, together with the Queen's representatives - our friend Prof. Pali Hungin OBE as a Deputy Lieutenant for Co. Durham and Mr Christopher Robson as High Sheriff of North Yorkshire.  BBC Look North were filming and several "girls" were interviewed with me for BBC Tees.  The second reception was attended by some 18 veterans and their guests, together with Pali.

Talking to these ladies, now nearly all 80+, Suzanne and I learnt some fascinating stories.  Some had worked near to home; some had been sent to places like Berkshire, Warwickshire or Kent.  One had worked on Manor Farm, Egglescliffe, now in the ward I represent.  Some had stayed in hostels with other Land Army girls; some had been billeted.  A good number told us how they had met a man while serving, to whom they were subsequently married for 60 years.  It had been hard physical work and many had no previous experience of farming and had been given little or no training.  They had dug up potatoes, led horses, milked cows, threshed corn, made hay or whatever farming job was needed.  However, they remembered it as a healthy, enjoyable and rewarding time, which they would be happy to repeat.  In turn, we thanked them for what they had done for our country's war effort.  More about the Land Army in tomorrow's blog...

[Today's photos are at the entries for today & 19-2-09 at ww.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog.]

This afternoon started as a mystery tour of Ingleby Barwick, as the street atlas showed "Ingleby Mill School" as being in buildings occupied by Barley Fields Primary School.  When we found Ingleby Mill Primary School in Windmill Way, we were reminded that some three years ago the School had moved lock, stock, barrel, teachers and pupils into the premises they now occupy, leaving their former buildings for use by a new school.

I had been invited to meet the 15 pupils who comprise the School Council, "to discuss aspects of the role and function of the Mayor - Town Council".  For the first time ever, instead of my needing to spend time introducing children to what I thought they wanted to know, these pupils had a comprehensive list of prepared questions - although there were also supplementaries arising from what they heard.  These were interesting and well thought-out questions and the school councillors took notes of what we said.  How I would like myself to chair such a well-behaved council!

The school council had conducted a survey of their electors' perceptions of the School and were now working through the replies.  We were particularly struck when Suzanne asked what gave them the most satisfaction from being school councillors.  A girl replied that it was making people happy and helping them to find friends.  A lesson to us all!

[Photos will appear in the next few working days at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog.]

I don't know what they put in the water at Wellburn House Care Home, but they invited me to meet yet another long-lived resident.  Suzanne and I went there to greet Mrs Isabella Hall on her 105^th birthday.  Among the residents present was Mrs Minna Stephenson (now 106½ - please see my blog of 19-8-08).

Mrs Hall remembered meeting Suzanne a couple of years ago when she was Mayor, in Stockton Town Hall at a reception for tenants of Lauder House, then owned by this Council, where Mrs Hall then lived.

The Evening Gazette came to photograph her and spent a long time talking to her.  Friends from Lauder House were there, one of them playing the keyboard.  There were flowers, cards and a birthday cake and, of course, telegrams from HM The Queen and the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions.

We joined residents in the singing and afternoon tea.

It's difficult at times for us 60-something youngsters to realise the lifespan of a centenarian.  When Mrs Hall was born when King Edward VIII was on the throne, less than two months after the first powered aeroplane flight, and reached my present age while I was still a student, yet I've been retired from my "day job" three years.

If I reach 105, will there still be a Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees?

[Photos will appear in the next few working days at www.stockton.gov.uk/mayorsblog.]

We were to have arrived at Layfield Primary School, Yarm, at 10 a.m. this morning complete with the mayoral insignia.  However, owing to the traffic chaos caused by the snow, my Attendant could not get into work on time.  However, the School had been very flexible with their timetable today, so our late arrival did not prevent all the children from hearing about the mayoralty and democracy and seeing our chains.  I based my talk on the similarities between their school council and our Borough Council.  For the first time at any school I have visited, the Head Teacher (Hazel Ducker) asked for a photo of us with the school councillors.  The children - exceedingly quiet in an all-age assembly - asked me many of the usual questions, but not the usual, "Do you have a big house?" but instead "Do you have a boat?"

We also admired the mosaic mural on the wall of the entrance hall, designed by an artist but made by parents and friends of the School, depicting the history of Yarm.

Our late running meant a late start to a meeting with the Head of Democracy and the Civic Team to run through the arrangements for my charity ball on Friday evening.  Ticket sales are about 50 up on last year's, so I hope to raise a lot of money for my charities.  I've left the arrangements to Officers, to whom I'm grateful for doing something in which I've no expertise or experience.  It should be a good night!

My engagements for this afternoon have been cancelled, as the weather conditions have prevented what we had planned.

[Photos will appear at www.stockton.gov.uk in the next few days.]