Mayor's Blog - December 2007
Mayoral Blog 2007/08
Councillor Michael Smith
My first engagement of the New Year was on Thursday, 3rd January when I welcomed Councillor Brenda Warrington and a small group of children from Denton West Ward to the Town Hall. The children were really excited about visiting the Mayor’s Parlour and it was a pleasure to show them round.
On Friday, Teresa and I attended the Annual Luncheon of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain (Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Section). The event was held at the Park Hall Hotel, Charnock Richard, Chorley. It was a lovely afternoon and we are very grateful to the Members of the Guild for their wonderful hospitality and for making us feel so welcome.
There were no engagements over the weekend so we were able to spend some time at home and get back on track after Christmas.
See you next time.
Happy New Year everybody, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
Obviously, because of the holidays, I am playing catch up a little bit with my weekly Blog. Therefore I begin this Blog with the week leading up to Christmas.
On Monday 17th December, I attended a Senior Citizens Christmas Party organised by myself and colleagues from Denton West Ward. We had a wonderful time at St George's Centre. There was a terrific atmosphere and it really put everybody in the mood for Christmas.
Later, I joined students from Hyde Clarendon College at Dukinfield Town Hall for a Reunion and Presentation Evening. It was a great night especially designed to acknowledge and to celebrate the student’s achievements.
From here I travelled to Ashton Town Hall to join the Mayoress and Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress in the Mayor's Parlour and guests from Ashton St Peter's Ward. We had a lovely evening and it was good to have the opportunity to meet the guests and to thank them for their work within the local community.
On Tuesday, I welcomed residents from Walker Close in Hyde to the Town Hall and we enjoyed a good chat over Christmas cake and mince pies.
On Wednesday evening, I was pleased to entertain Linda Fletcher and her guests in the Mayor’s Parlour. Linda is the Tenant Director of Ashton Pioneer Homes and was recently awarded the title "Tenant of the Year" at the Tenant Participation Advisory Service Northern Regional Awards. It was a pleasure to meet Linda and to be able to acknowledge her success.
On Thursday, I was invited to record an interview and Christmas message at the studio of Tameside Radio. Perhaps you heard this over the holidays?
Later, Teresa and I attended the annual Carol Service at West Hill High School. It was a lovely evening and we were made to feel very welcome.
On Friday, it was the moment we had all been waiting for, the special performance of the Pantomime "Aladdin" at the Tameside Hippodrome.
With the support of the Executive Leader and fellow Councillors, I arranged for the matinee performance to be dedicated to the children of Tameside.
1200 people were given free tickets to the show. Amongst others, those attending included local schoolchildren and representatives of Tameside's Young Carers and the Children's Rights Service. There was even a free ice cream included for everyone!
It was my way of giving something back to the children and young people of Tameside, who ordinarily might not get the chance to see a Christmas pantomime. I couldn’t have felt more proud.
The children had a wonderful time and hopefully they will have some great memories to treasure."
There were no Mayoral engagements on Saturday although, as I am sure you can imagine, there was plenty to keep me busy at home!
On Sunday, Teresa and I attended the Christmas Sacrament Service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and for our final engagement before Christmas, we joined friends at Old Chapel in Dukinfield for their Candlelit Carol Service.
This was our final engagement before Christmas and indeed until the New Year. It was a nice break and Teresa and I had a lovely Christmas with the family. We now look forward to another exciting year ahead.
Please join me next time
With every good wish
Wow what another busy week, the time has just flown by!
On Monday, I began my engagements with a visit to the Open Day at Copley Resource Centre. It was a great opportunity for me to meet service users and staff and to find out more about the day centre. From here, I attended the WDF Tenants and Residents Association Grand Christmas Fair at Forrest Road Community Centre in Denton where I was pleased to present, on behalf of the association, a television to representatives of Ward 2 at Tameside Hospital.
From the fair I made a quick call to Greatwood House Care Home to offer my congratulations to Miss Ketha Bowker on her 100 th birthday and then after collecting Teresa, we proceeded to Hattersley Community Centre for the switching on of the Christmas Lights. It was a wonderful occasion with a great sense of community spirit and it was good to see so many families enjoying the event together.
Later, Teresa and I welcomed my Chaplain Father Petty and representatives of the Holy Family Church in Denton to the Town Hall. We had a lovely evening and everybody enjoyed the tour of the Mayor's Parlour and Council Chamber.
On Tuesday, I attended the Annual Senior Citizens Christmas Party at Droylsden Football Club before joining the New Charter Plus Christmas Celebration at Ashton Town Hall.
On Wednesday, I visited Hattersley Community Centre once again, but this time it was for the Senior Citizens Christmas Party and later, Teresa and I travelled into Manchester for the County Fire and Rescue Service Annual Carol Concert at St Ann's Church.
On Thursday, I was pleased to be invited to the KS1 Christmas performance at Denton West End Primary School. The children put on a wonderful production called "The Bethlehem Bootee Company" - there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Later, Teresa and I attended the Greater Manchester Police Force Annual Carol Service at Manchester Cathedral.
On Friday evening, we were invited to the VIP Launch of the Pantomime "Aladdin" at the Tameside Hippodrome. It was a fabulous show and it was good to attend with our Deputies Steve and Betty.
On Saturday night, Teresa and I joined a Carol Service at Yew Tree Community Centre in Denton. It was a brilliant night with a delicious hot pot supper to warm us all up.
On Sunday, I was honoured to attend a Carol Service at the Memorial Gardens in Ashton at the invitation of Willow Wood Hospice.
Willow Wood's "Light up a Life" appeal has gone from strength to strength since it first started a number of years ago. So much so that the hospice now has seven specially erected trees on which people can sponsor a light to celebrate the life of a loved one. Obviously a switch on ceremony at each venue would be virtually impossible for the hospice staff and therefore, this year, the Carol Service was staged to allow people the opportunity to come together to remember those we love at this special time of year. It was a very emotional service but a lovely celebration of life.
In the evening, I joined members of the Adamson Band and the Yew Tree Singers for a rousing Festival of Christmas Music at Dukinfield Town Hall. The hall was full to capacity and it was good to see so many people enjoying the event.
Due to the holidays, this will be my final Blog until the New Year. 2007 has been an amazing year for me and my family. We look forward to many more happy times in 2008 to share with you all.
Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year.
With every good wish
On Tuesday, I was pleased to welcome to the Town Hall the School Council from Dane Bank Primary School in Denton and also representatives of Tameside Radio.
On Wednesday, I attended a Citizenship Ceremony at Dukinfield Town Hall where it was my pleasure to welcome the Borough's new citizens and to present them with certificates. Later, I called in at the 100th birthday party of Mrs Nellie Lyne at Chartist House in Hyde before attending a Carol Service at St Raphael's Church in Stalybridge at the invitation of the local Girl Guides.
On Thursday I was invited to open the Carers Rights Day event at Ashton Town Hall. The day brought together colleagues from statutory and voluntary sectors to provide carers with advice and information on what benefits might be available to them. I then travelled over to Hyde Bangladesh Welfare Centre to join members of the Probin Mela Luncheon Club for a special 20 th anniversary celebration.
Later the same day, Teresa and I visited the Prostate Cancer Support Group in Droylsden. The group meets at Droylsden Football Club each month and provides emotional and moral support to people with prostate cancer and their relatives. I was shocked to learn that a man dies every hour from prostate cancer and yet, if diagnosed early enough, it is possible to cure. We spent a lovely evening with the group and enjoyed nibbles and light refreshments as it was their last meeting before Christmas.
On Friday, I was due to attend the Home Start Tameside AGM but sadly had to offer my apologies to attend the funeral of a dear friend and colleague Derek Bishop. The Deputy Mayor kindly stepped in to represent me at the meeting and I understand everything went well.
On Friday evening, I was pleased to present prizes to children from Denton West End Primary School who had taken part in the `design a logo' competition for the Friends of Granada Park. The prize giving was held at the Sainsbury's Store in Denton who kindly provided the gifts. From here, Teresa and I attended a wonderful concert at St Anne's Church in Denton at the invitation of The Heritage Singers.
On Saturday, we called in at a Coffee Day at Stalybridge Civic Hall in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief before visiting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Ashton for their Annual Carol Concert.
On Sunday, Teresa and I attended a cheque presentation ceremony at Ashton Bangladesh Welfare Association. A number of restaurants in the Borough have been raising funds for the victims of the Bangladesh cyclone. We were pleased to attend the presentation and to support the appeal which will help to ease the suffering of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
See you next time