We have a very busy week coming up. It starts with me getting into the Town Hall for a 9.30am meeting about the Discover Pendle building now springing up on the new Boundary Mill site at the end of the M65. Discover Pendle, will spotlight everything that we have to offer in Pendle including tourism, events, performances and business. This will vastly increase the profile of Pendle to the millions of visitors who will come to Boundary Mill. It is due to open in spring of next year.
At 11.00 I get “chained up” to go up to Colne’s Muni for the Mayors Bit of a Do. This is the senior citizens Christmas Lunch and is on every day this week.
The Mayor's Bit of A Do at Colne Muni
Five turkey dinners are too much for anyone, so I spit the week with Shelagh the Deputy Mayor. I do Mon. Wed. Fri. and Shelagh will do Tues. Thurs. I said a few words to everyone attending and then got served with Turkey, stuffing, mashed and roast potatoes, sausage and gravy. Followed by Christmas pudding and a cup of coffee. We then take the opportunity to talk to as many of the people enjoying the lunch as possible. Most are interested in my chain of office, which I tell them, is the old Colne council civic chain. It is over 110 year old and weighs around 5lbs. The bottom part of the chain was added around 1974 when Pendle Council was formed from the Councils of; Colne, Nelson, Brierfield, Barrowford, Earby, Barnoldswick, Trawden and parts of Burnley Rural Councils.
We get to chat to the many people attending
We were all entertained by Lord Street Primary School Wind Band with children from 8-11 playing Christmas music. Their Year 3 school choir of 8 year olds supported the band with enthusiastic singing. They were fantastic and everyone told me how much they enjoyed them. Besides Lord Street primary there was also The Magic of Christmas show with Harold Hogarth and friends to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.
When I got home I didn’t need any tea.
Tuesday 4 December
I received my copy of Pendle News which is our Council newspaper distributed free across the Borough. Included in it are the many new buildings coming to Nelson including the impressive Number One Market Street and the new transport interchange. I also received a very nice thank you letter from Nelson & Colne College’s students who visited the Town Hall recently.
I spent most of the day catching up again. And in the evening I attended Pendle Council’s West Craven area Committee at Earby.
We had lots of planning issues to decide and one of them was whether to agree to a wind turbine at Far New Field Edge Farm underneath Weets Hill. Several speakers told us about the fantastic 360-degree views from the top of Weets and how seeing the wind turbine would alter that. I said that if it was a choice of more wind turbines or new nuclear power stations I would go for wind power. But the views from Weets are up there with the best that I have seen anywhere in the World so I voted against the application. However when it came to the vote the Committee was split 50/50 on the application but the Chair came down on the side of approval, as it was a much-reduced size from the previous plan.
Wednesday 5 December
It was my second turkey dinner this week as went along the Mayor's Bit of a Do in Colne.
This was only my second turkey dinner this week
It is big logistical exercise to make sure that hundreds of the hot dinners get to our Christmas party guest’s tables at the right time. The senior citizens all complimented us on the excellent food, which is put on by Pendle Leisure Trust. Lord Street Primary School Band and Choir were again well received by everyone.
I had also to sort out the Mayors Christmas Cards which we send all over the world as well as locally.
Back to Nelson Town Hall at 5pm for the Member Development Group meeting where we look at the training and development issues for councillors. Pat Hudson who has managed this role for many years is retiring on Friday. I congratulated Pat on her efforts.
After this meeting Pat changed roll to Mayor’s Secretary to go with me to Christ Church, just round the corner, from the Town hall for The Pendle Schools Festival Annual Carol Service. Schools from all over Pendle joined together to sing Christmas Carols and they all also presented me with children’s presents to distribute. I thoroughly enjoyed it and afterwards I chatted to some of the parents and their children.
Thursday 6 December
In the afternoon we went along to The Burnley & District Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted for their Christmas party. It was held at the Carter’s and Motorman’s Club in Nelson.
Meeting with party goers at their Christmas Party
The club is known locally as the Fast and Slow. Mrs Cooney who was a Mayor in Burnley in the 1990’s met us. The party was excellent with everyone enjoying themselves. The act that they had on was Pauline a Shirley Bassey type singer who was great.
Pauline sounded something like Shirley Bassey but from Burnley
Back home for a quick change before going back to Colne Hippodrome for Park High Scholl’s KS4 Presentation Evening. The speaker was their old head teacher who obviously new the students well and was proud of the school.
Friday 7 December
Back to the Mayor’s Bit of a Do for my last turkey dinner (ever?) I told everyone that as I had had now had turkey 3 times this week I certainly wouldn’t be ordering a turkey for Christmas at home. As this was the last day of the “Do’s” I went on stage to compliment Lord Street School for their fantastic Band and excellent Choir, it had certainly kept everyone entertained this week and got them in the Christmas spirit. I also congratulated their teachers, staff and parents.
The Lord Street Wind Band and Year 3 singers entertain us
I also thanked West Street School Colne who had sung on Tuesday and Thursday when the Deputy Mayor had attended. I then went into the Lesser Muni Hall to congratulate the catering staff for all of their hard work and told them that everyone that I had chatted with had really enjoyed the meal.
In the evening I attended a special meeting of Barnoldswick Town Council and as vice-chairman had to chair it as the Chairman has resigned.
Saturday 7 December
Into the Rainhall Centre in Barnoldswick by 10.00am for my Meet the Mayor session. I had a steady stream of local people coming to see me about issues that concerned them. At lunchtime we drove over to Nelson but called in at Keith Melling’s shop in Fence to pick up some more Christmas cards.
I collect a few more Christmas cards from Keith Mellin's shop in Fence
Keith is a well know local artist and we have got this year’s Mayor Christmas cards from him. From there into Nelson centre to collect the Mayoress who had been helping with the Mayor’s charity appeal tombola stall at Pendle Rise. We should have then been attending a Christmas fair in Nelson but found out that it had been cancelled.
The Park keeper shows me Boris the spider's home
As we didn’t have an event to attend this evening I was able to watch on TV Burnley FC put on a great show and Burnley beat Wolves 3-2 away from home. I don’t often get time to watch footy on the box but I am glad that I managed this one, as it was a really entertaining match.
Sunday 8 December
Today we went to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs Evelyn Lightbrown at Oakfield House Care Centre in Nelson.
We drop in on Mrs Lightbrown's 100th birthday
