Mayor of Bath Blog

11.30am Bath Masonic Hall Open Day

This may be the most unusual visit that you would expect a Mayor to make, but the visit to the Bath Masonic Hall in Orchard Street was both interesting and enlightening.

I have never really given the Masons a great deal of thought before today but was pleased at the welcome that the Mayoress and I received.

The secrecy behind the Masonic Lodges have led to many questions about them over the years but I could not see anything on this visit to find any issue behind this.

7.10pm Operation Christmas Child

The Operation Christmas Child Concert held at St Luke’s Church Hall was well worth the visit. The whole evening’s entertainment was very well put together and the young people performing and singing were very good indeed.

The reason for the concerts is to raise money for Operation Christmas Child a society that sends shoe boxes full of presents to underprivileged children in poor countries.  Over £500 was raised at this one concert.

8pm Silver Ring Choir

The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Gerry Curran) attended the Silver Ring Choir Concert on my behalf.  He tells me that he enjoyed this event, conducted by Grenville Jones, and the performances were at their usual high standard.  The Choir was joined by the Llanelli Male Choir and also the City of Bath Male Choir, so it was a very special and rousing occasion.

10 am  Visitors from Aix-en-Provence

It was a pleasure to welcome Senior Citizens from our Twin City of Aix-en-Provence in France to the Mayor’s Parlour.

It is always good to receive visitors from our Twin Cities, to be able to extend our cultural links and also to get a better understanding of one another. Although on this occasion there was a language problem we managed with several members of the Bath – Aix-en-Provence Twinning Association translating.  I think all enjoyed the occasion, in fact, the visitors even sang for us - which is a first!

11.10am Overseas Students Studying at the University of Bath,

This was a late arranged visit by overseas students studying at the University of Bath arranged by Councillor Marian McNeir.

The students were fascinated at hearing the history of the Mayoralty and about what happens in the Mayor's Parlour as well as some of the history of our wonderful City.  I am always pleased to welcome overseas students in the Parlour as it helps the cultural links between our countries and gives us all an insight into how we all think.

6.10pm A Visit to Victoria Art Gallery

A visit to the Victoria Art Gallery is always one that is worth making as you never quite know what you are going to see.  On this occasion we viewed an Exhibition of Ancient Landscapes Pastoral Visions that was opened by David Inshaw.  At the same Exhibition was a presentation of Comic Art 1920’s to present day.   There was a very good display of work.

8pm Rotary Club of Bath Charity Golf Club Tournament

The visit to Bath Golf Club to present prizes at the Rotary Club of Bath Charity Golf Club Tournament was a pleasure.

The many teams that enjoyed their day out playing golf were also there to raise money for charity and that is just what they did raising over £6,000 for NICU at the RUH on the day.

It is always good to go along to events to help others raise money for charities.  The Rotary Club of Bath do just that and we all owe a great deal of gratitude to them for the wonderful work they do.

12noon Bath Building Society Charity Awards

Off to the Bath Building Society at 15 Queen Square for the judging of Society's Charities Awards applications.

I am not able to tell you who the successful applications are at this point in time but, I can tell you, that the decision-making was a very difficult task. 

The awards are made annually and are only given to small charities to enable them either to be able to carry out their work in the Bath area or give them the ability to be able to raise extra money themselves.

6.30pm

I was on duty as a Bath & North East Somerset Councillor this evening so not able to undertake any Mayoral duties.

6.45pm Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine Re-Launch

Can I thank Honorary Alderman Peter Metcalfe for representing me at the Reception held at the Jane Austen Centre to mark the redesign, re-launch and new ownership of ‘Jane Austen’s Regency World’ the official magazine of the Jane Austen Centre?

The magazine is now owned and run by an old friend and former Councillor, Tim Bullamore, and I wish him well with this new venture.

3.30pm Opening of The Point Community Project

This was an interesting visit, undertaken by the Mayoress and me, to the launch of The Point Community Project at Culverhay School, Rush Hill in Bath.

This is a joint project between Southdown Methodist Church and Culverhay School to offer help, advice, learning and training opportunities to the local community. This project is funded by the Bath Communities Partnership which was set up to help community groups across the west side of Bath.

I wish the Project every success and I am sure that many local residents will find the fantastic facilities of great benefit.

6.30pm Bath 18+ Gateway Club Visit to Parlour

I was pleased to be able to welcome Bath 18+ Gateway Club to the Mayor's Parlour for a Civic Reception to celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of their creation.

It was good to welcome members and their families and also Mencap staff, and to hear about what they have been doing; their likes and dislikes.

It seemed everybody enjoyed themselves this evening and I wish them well for another 10 years ofsuccess.

(Picture available)

I was pleased to be able to attend the NSPCC (Bath & District) Annual General meeting at Shockerwick House and to be able to thank them for all of the good work they do in the Bath area.  I was also pleased to be able to hear about the good work being carried out at the Castle project, which opened last year.

The Mayoralty in Bath has had a long association with the NSPCC in the City and it is always good to hear about what they are doing.