Sharon Ball

Hi, I read the statistic's of  the blog and I notice some people are reading this in Australia so if you know somebody in his in late 60's who is or was a butcher is named Tommy Snaith who is originally from Newcastle, a wife and at least 3 children who would be all grown up now and who has been there for many years.

I was invited to the Community Art Exhibition at the St Johns Church in Lower Weston very welcoming and talented exhibition for local people and also the children that took part.

When we go to all these different places I try and look to see if they have a raffle and if they have I cross my fingers I have remembered to bring an envelope to give to the person in charge of the raffle a prize Tea with the Mayor with 4 people and most People do enjoy it!

Well Miss Pauline Clark and her friends did we had sandwiches and cake, a talk about the Parlour, and a look around the Parlour and we all enjoyed ourselves.

I would also like to thank her for sending a £20 cheque for the Mayor of Bath's relief fund as we try and raise as much as we can in our year of office much appreciated.    

On the Bus to the Guildhall to welcome students who are on an exchange programme with Southside Youth Centre who are staying in Bath. The Youths from Southside Centre Bath went to Braunschweig in October last year.

They also had a talk about the parlour then after they were going to see the Roman Baths, the night before they came to the Parlour the teachers had been to the Bath Spa and really enjoyed it. Good !

We also had another reception in the Parlour but this was to say a thank you to all involved in the Twining Groups they raise money so they can entertain there visitors from the different countries it involved the Braunschweig and the Alkmaar Groups and also help towards their trips over there as well.

We also asked the Past Mayor Cllr Carol Paradiseto go to the AGM of the Royal Commonwealth Society (Bath & District Branch)also followed by Travel Talk & a Buffet at the Cricket Club

Early One Sunday Morning we and lots of other Mayors and Legal Service arrive at Wells Cathedral for the installation of the new High Sheriff so we also had to say Goodbye to the previous one who was a lovely man called David Medlock and was already known in  around Bath as he is a business man in Bath and good luck to the new High Sheriff Mrs Annie Maw

And the Deputy was at the Passion Sunday Service with the Lord Mayor of Bristol..

A Lovely occasion was the Ball at Chippenham to raise money in aid of ‘Snap' by the Mayor Cllr Sandra Oakes. The music by the two young teenagers was brilliant one played rock and roll and the other was more Bob Dylan type of music they were both very good and defiantly worth seeing again. Then we had a comedian and he said he was from the South Shields area so of course he was a geordie and sounded like it,.but then we had to leave as it was a long journey home when you have to get up the next morning even when it's a Sunday.

On Saturday 8^th March I attended the Centenary of International Women's Day and had to start the speeches the subject was ‘Women who have inspired us' I talked about the first Lady Mayor Kathleen Harper although she insisted being called Mr Mayor probably because she didn't want to make a fuss although these days we do prefer the term ‘Madam' as we are women although I carried it on and said that we have a 102 year old Mayoress and she comes to every occasion that we invite her to and she is such a lovely Lady as well.

This occasion took part at the BRLSI queens Square there were lots more Ladies that spoke about all different women including Sarah Grant another Mayoress of the City.

Well done for a good day!

Then on Friday lunch time I also went to Sports Hall at the University where I was witness to lots and lots of children having a brilliant time at the Bath Science Fair.

It was lovely to see so many children enjoying themselves doing all different projects with and without computers and dissecting owl balls ( Hayesfield school) and how much mess they can make when experimenting with cornflower and water, there is one thing though I wouldn't have wanted to be the cleaner for that day I'm sure!

I visited the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases on their Open Day although it was quiet when I was there I was taken for a tour which I enjoyed it is a lovely Hospital. The Open Day was for any body which wanted a career in medicence

Who would want to specialise in all different kinds of arthritis and apparently there is many or head trauma. They are also looking, like many for volunteers to help them in the every day things.  

New Sarum's civic Day Hosted by Cllr Kevin Cardy

Although a chilly day, a tour round Salisbury was very interesting and lovely we had a tour of the cathedral as well, tea and scones while we had a rest and heard the lovely children singing which they did delightfully, although they must have been very nervous as they were stood in front of about 20 different Mayors from all over, but I hope they enjoyed it as well.

After we enjoyed a dinner and we then saw a play ‘People at sea'

We always hold a civic reception to a say thank you to our own Honorary Aldermen Ex Mayors, Ex Mayoresses & Ex Mayors Consorts for their continued support and one Mayoress is 102 and she is amazing and came. She said she wouldn't like to miss it. There's support for you! Well done Mrs Berry!

I invited the Friends of the Bath International Music Festival to the Parlour to say a Big ‘Thank You' to them for their continued support over the many years that the Music Festival has been going you may be amazed that it has been on the go for ‘60years' so many of our Mayors of Bath have seen the events and enjoyed them

Then Later,

The Mayor and Charter Trustees and the Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Council and Councillors hosted a reception to celebrate ‘60years' of all different kinds of music and hope it will continue for many years to come.

Mean While the Deputy Mayor was off to the Army Benevolent Fund reception at King Edwards School followed by a talk on ‘Soldering in Modern Conflicts' given by General Sir John Deverell. 

On Monday 3^rd March I visited the University to attend and help Open the Bath Islamic Society's Awareness Week Exhibition ‘To Know Each Other' with Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian Jamieson first time this has happened and I think it is important that we learn about other cultures as well as our own.

A Visit to a school

Southdown Infants one of my old schools but I was only there for 4 months or so as I went to Parkside Mrs Ruffs class as I remember with a girl called Sally Milk (I wonder what she is doing now?)  Then, we moved to Southdown so I changed schools.

Then! 

A reception in the Mayor's Parlour for the Women's Aid Group. Refreshments and the usual talk on the Parlour which is done so well and enjoyed so much.

This was an honour to present Long Service Badges for the Royal British Legion to

 their volunteers who take part in the Poppy Appeal and have done so for many years, and hopefully for many years to come. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Bath that buy the poppy's in support they raised over £35 thousand.

Then I get a day off . Oh! I do get them sometimes

Saturday 1^st March

Launch of the Swap shop it was very well supported at the Oldfield Park Methodist Church by all, that makes all the difference. Well done for the imitative, Melanie Reed.

Sunday Mothers day

Another day off

Wild Places: This was Christopher Somerville with his sister Julia Somerville

And it was rather interesting they were talking about his life and his travels and the book he wrote with more detail in it.  Across Crete and why he went the way he did, and I'm sure the book is well worth reading. I enjoyed this and so did my two visitors Kornel Karsay from Kaposvar and Peter Metcalfe.

Then to another Bath Literature event

Storytelling:It was unusual, the way they did this, it was called Fire Springs and there was three story tellers around the room and they told two stories each, they were good, but at an event like this I thought it would encourage more children to this event but there was only one child which was a pity but I'm sure all that was there, enjoyed this anyway.

Then I was off to Mencap Local Society

58^th Annual General Meeting at the Bath Cricket Club at which I chaired but there were two very generous detailed explanations of how they work within Mencap and also in what the councils part is. And also to introduce their new member of staff for development.  

Parlour Twinning Reception

I had a Twinning Reception to meet and welcome the International Officer from Kaposvar City Council Kornel Karsay he said in Bath for a few days then went up to London but thoroughly enjoyed his stay and thought Bath was as beautiful as he had been told it was.

The Showmen's Guild Reception

Now this is the Western Counties Showmen (i.e.; circus and fairs) saying thank you for letting them have their fairs or circus in our towns the reception is always held at Swindon as it's probably central more or less. It was a lovely day and caught up with the chain gang again.

Annual Civic Reception

Civic reception hosted by the Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset saying thank you to staff and colleagues for their support over the past year.

The next Chairman will come in, in May