A welcome catch up day, before the Christmas rush. I sorted out the Mayor’s Christmas Cards, which we have managed to source from Keith Melling, a well-known local painter of our lovely countryside.
In the evening I went to Nelson Town Hall for our regular LibDem Pendle Council group’s monthly meeting.
Tuesday 20 November
In to the Town Hall by 10.00am to meet with the ESOL group from Nelson & Colne College (English for Speakers of other Languages). We showed them into the Council Chamber where I went through what we do on the Council and how it works.
I meet the ladies of the ESOl group
In the questions and answers I got put on the spot in a wide number of subjects including “Why are the bins only emptied every 2 week”. I told them that I had seen the hole in the ground where all of the non-recycled rubbish gets dumped. And I told them what the neighbours close to that site told me - they said it stank and why should the whole of Lancashire dump their rubbish on their doorstep. I told the students that the hole was almost full and we shouldn’t be dumping our rubbish for future generations to clear up. In Pendle we have made a good start to re-cycling and now achieve around 36%, which is good but not good enough. Germany recycles 75% so we have a long way to go.
Showing the Civic chains to the ESOL ladiesAfter the students left, I nipped into the office to catch up on what was happening there. Then back to the Town hall in the afternoon to present the winners of the 5-a-day Competition with their prizes.
The 5 a day competition winners get their prizes in the Mayor's Parlour
Wednesday 21 November
I called in to see the Pendle Tourism Manager about the plans for the Nigerian delegation who are visiting us here in Pendle next Tuesday. I followed this with a quick meeting with The Pendle Enterprise Trust.
Rushed back to the Town hall to greet the businesses attending my second Mayor’s Business Lunch.
I welcome the budding Pendle Entrepreneur's
This time we had invited start up businesses. I got the lunch going by telling them of my experience of starting a business over 30 years ago in my back bedroom. The new start-ups were all enthusiastic – and they need to be – as starting a new business is an exciting leap into the unknown for them. We told them about the benefits of the Guardian Angels, experienced business people who mentor small businesses free of charge. Everyone enjoyed the lunch and considered it to be a success.
In the evening I watched England make a complete hash of the European qualifying match. With that performance they didn’t deserve to go through anyway.
Thursday 22 November
A day mostly concentrating on my business, where we spent some time looking around another company, which is for sale.
Friday 23 November
I sorted out my vehicle tax disk on line, which is much easier than having to go to the post office or posting it.
In the evening we went to the Dunkenhalgh Hotel for E.A. Foulds Ltd centenary dinner.
E.A. Foulds family business celebrates 100 years
Very few companies reach 100 years; in fact the average age of a company is around 9 years – as most of them go under in the first couple of years. So achieving 100 years is certainly something special and Foulds is still a family firm now in the 4th generation.
We meet with the Foulds family and their guests
We met Renee Foulds, who was the matriarch of the family at 87 who was most interesting. David Foulds gave a speech about the company and mentioned that his granddad was a Liberal Councillor in Colne, which showed their civic link. Foulds, I was told had installed lifts for the James Bond films and in the Falkland Islands Hospital and now install and service lifts all over Britain and abroad.
Saturday 23 November
Before 9am I did a quick interview on the Joe Wilson show on Radio Lancashire to plug the Pendle Christmas Lights Switch On in 6 Towns throughout the Borough this evening.
"What a cracking motorbike and sidecar Grommit"
The Willow Workshop, which I was due to go to in the afternoon, was cancelled at the last minute because of the wet weather.
The Mayor of Brierfield Town Council greets me and Father Christmas at Brierfield
In the late afternoon we set off for Brierfield to start the Christmas Lights Switch on across the Borough of Pendle.
Into the sidecar for wet and windy ride
After posing for the local press and our own photographer we switched the lights on then set off Wallace & Grommit style in a 500cc Matchless motorbike and sidecar kindly loaned for the occasion by Stuart Gaunt, from Oakworth near Keighley. Stuart got into the spirit by dressing up as Father Christmas. I was in the sidecar with a big coat on with my civic chains and with massive gauntlets to keep my hands warm enough to do the switch ons. We got lots of cars honking their horns and people waving at us as we went to Nelson to switch their lights on.
From there onto Barrowford to repeat the event. From there onto Colne, were we met up with Councillors Alan & Sharon Davies. Alan is the leader of Pendle Council and Sharon chairs the Colne & District Area Committee.
We arrive to Switch On in Colne
Also there to welcome us was Coun. Dorothy Lord. From Colne then onto Earby where I met up with Coun. Chris Tennant to help with the switch on.
The Earby lads get into the spirit of Christmas and give us a big wave
Father Christmas, the Town Crier and I start the countdown in Barnoldswick (notice the motorcycle gauntlets!)
After being introduced by Coun Marjorie Adams, and having an extremely loud cry in our honour by Liz, I started the countdown. Everyone joined in and the Town was soon ablaze with festive colour.We then had yet more photos for the press and managed to get a cup of tea to warm us up. This is the first time that we have attempted to switch all of the lights on across the Borough around the same time, so it was a challenge to keep to a very tight schedule.
Liz and her daughter show me the tree lights in BarlickEveryone looked to have thoroughly enjoyed it and it got them all into the Festive Spirit. I however was frozen to the bone and rather wet and bedraggled. Anyway once back home a quick warm in front of my wood burning stove with a whisky and water, soon sorted me out.
