Last week I chaired the Full Council meeting of Tamworth Borough Council. Part of the agenda is for the Mayor, Leader, Cabinet or Chief Exec to make announcements, this year I decided to use this opportunity to make sure we say Thank you to the councillors who have either retired or did not get re-elected.
I have always felt that it is a tragic shame for outgoing councillors to simply leave without mention. Well they get a letter asking them to return their badge and laptop, doesn't even warn them that the door may hit their backside on the way out. So as simple as the gesture is I had some certificates printed which I signed and framed, these thanked the former councillor on behalf of the people of Tamworth and listed their terms of office.
Mr Martyn Price served on the council from 2007 to 2011
Mr Ben Price served on the council from 2007 to 2011
Mr Steven Nicklin served on the council from 2007 to 2011
Mr John Wells has served a number of terms totalling 24 years on the council retiring in 2011
There names will be recorded in a set of minutes which their children or grandchildren may never see, In fact John Wells has also been Mayor so will have more recognition in local history but still little. I hope the certificates I gave out will give them some pride that they can share with their kids and grand kids in years to come.
Simple gift but a Thank you and the respect they deserve.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Monday, 23 May 2011
Tamworth Unicorns Swimming Gala
Tamworth Unicorns website
On Saturday I was invited to attend the 35th Annual swimming Gala organised by Tamworth Unicorns, for those who do not know this group provided swimming coaching for disabled people. This Gala attracted swimmers from all over the midlands.
During the evening we watched 58 races and 4 relays all except 2 were 25 meters or one length of the Peaks pool or should that be snowdome. The effort and dedication shown was tremendous, due to different levels of ability there were staggered starts with some competitors having up to 20 seconds head start and still finishing in a tight finish. The thing that I noticed from this staggered start was the shear time some of them spent in the water, they may not have been the fastest swimmer in the world but the effort and stamina they put in was huge. they just kept going until they finished regardless of their position.
When i was younger I attended Moorgate infants school where the school motto was "there is a Can in Can't" these people Saturday night proved this.
I was privileged to hand out some of the medals and must say that Tamworth swimmers received a fair few. This was a great opportunity for my to see the sheer delight in the faces of those receiving medals but also their team mates who were all really pleased for each other.
Apart from mentioning the great efforts of the swimmers who performed so determinedly and well on Saturday but I feel I must pay tribute to the coaches and organisers, some of which were also disabled and some who were parents of disabled people. Their love and dedication to that club is fantastic. these people are truly hero's in Tamworth and the midlands not only improving swimming skills but also elevating spirits of the community.
Saturday was truly fantastic and a real pleasure to attend
During the evening we watched 58 races and 4 relays all except 2 were 25 meters or one length of the Peaks pool or should that be snowdome. The effort and dedication shown was tremendous, due to different levels of ability there were staggered starts with some competitors having up to 20 seconds head start and still finishing in a tight finish. The thing that I noticed from this staggered start was the shear time some of them spent in the water, they may not have been the fastest swimmer in the world but the effort and stamina they put in was huge. they just kept going until they finished regardless of their position.
When i was younger I attended Moorgate infants school where the school motto was "there is a Can in Can't" these people Saturday night proved this.
I was privileged to hand out some of the medals and must say that Tamworth swimmers received a fair few. This was a great opportunity for my to see the sheer delight in the faces of those receiving medals but also their team mates who were all really pleased for each other.
Apart from mentioning the great efforts of the swimmers who performed so determinedly and well on Saturday but I feel I must pay tribute to the coaches and organisers, some of which were also disabled and some who were parents of disabled people. Their love and dedication to that club is fantastic. these people are truly hero's in Tamworth and the midlands not only improving swimming skills but also elevating spirits of the community.
Saturday was truly fantastic and a real pleasure to attend
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Land Locked Tamworth, it's Mayor and the RNLI
This week I Jeremy Oates swore an oath and became Mayor of the Borough of Tamworth. This was for me possibly the most emotional Council Meeting I have attended. Nerves played like never before and to say I feel proud and honoured is simply an understatement. I have lived in Tamworth all my life and coming from a political background the Mayor of Tamworth has always been someone I have looked upto and aspired to. two days later and I am still pinching myself.
As Mayor of Tamworth one of the roles is to choose a charity and raise money for throughout the year, This year I have chosen the RNLI and i thought it might be useful to explain here why I have chosen this particular group.
Within the UK it is difficult to get further away from the sea than we are in Tamworth but as I do there are hundred possible thousands on people from Tamworth who visit the uk coast line every year and for me that means it's only time before the RNLI will be involved in a rescue involving the a resident of Tamworth. Along with this the RNLI is also the charity my gran left money to when she passed away and she was a great supporter of them, I'm pleased to support the same charity as my gran did.
We all talk about the value of volunteering and this should not be diluted, for me the lifeboat men of the uk are a fantastic example of what I have termed "Extreme Volunteering" they go out in awful conditions at their own risk and no income to rescue the lives of other.
I recall a story from my childhood which to me is a story of fantastic heroism and bravery I can only dream of, this is the story of the Penlee lifeboat on the night of the 19th December 1981.
Only 5 nights before christmas a call was recievd by the falmouth coast guard that the union star, a brand new gargo ship, had lost it's engines and could not restart them. That night the weather was horrendous and worsening, a call was put out to the crew of the Penlee lifeboat in the village of Mousehole cornwall, who sped to the rescue in the boat above. These guys displayed a selflessness and command of the seas that has me in tears just to think of. that night events happened quickely and some of those on the union star made it to the life boat, this life boat then stayed on the scene to rescue the rest when tragedy struck and took the lives of all on board the union star and the volunteers on the Penlee lifeboat.
I have missed alot out of this story but remember it from my childhood and remember being in cornwall when th new lifeboat was delivered. I am can not start to comprehend the selflessness of these men and their families. whilst I will not be collecting for any Penlee memorial I feel this story of heroism should be told and this year I will be supporting the RNLI and the volunteers who genuinely put their own lives at risk for other simply because they want to.
As Mayor of Tamworth one of the roles is to choose a charity and raise money for throughout the year, This year I have chosen the RNLI and i thought it might be useful to explain here why I have chosen this particular group.
Within the UK it is difficult to get further away from the sea than we are in Tamworth but as I do there are hundred possible thousands on people from Tamworth who visit the uk coast line every year and for me that means it's only time before the RNLI will be involved in a rescue involving the a resident of Tamworth. Along with this the RNLI is also the charity my gran left money to when she passed away and she was a great supporter of them, I'm pleased to support the same charity as my gran did.
We all talk about the value of volunteering and this should not be diluted, for me the lifeboat men of the uk are a fantastic example of what I have termed "Extreme Volunteering" they go out in awful conditions at their own risk and no income to rescue the lives of other.
I recall a story from my childhood which to me is a story of fantastic heroism and bravery I can only dream of, this is the story of the Penlee lifeboat on the night of the 19th December 1981.
I have missed alot out of this story but remember it from my childhood and remember being in cornwall when th new lifeboat was delivered. I am can not start to comprehend the selflessness of these men and their families. whilst I will not be collecting for any Penlee memorial I feel this story of heroism should be told and this year I will be supporting the RNLI and the volunteers who genuinely put their own lives at risk for other simply because they want to.
Friday, 13 May 2011
May Concerts, Brass, Woodwind, Strings and Saxophone
Tamworth Performing Arts Centre
Amington Band
In just 3 days I was privileged enough to be invited to 2 concerts displaying the fantastic talents that Tamworth manages so well to hide. This week not only have I enjoyed two great shows but I have also learnt about two sets of people who I knew existed but didn't really grasp what they do.
Amington Band
In just 3 days I was privileged enough to be invited to 2 concerts displaying the fantastic talents that Tamworth manages so well to hide. This week not only have I enjoyed two great shows but I have also learnt about two sets of people who I knew existed but didn't really grasp what they do.
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