I have very a busy week in front of me and start by going into the town hall for a meeting with the council solicitor regarding an appeal against he Licensing Committees decision on the planned Shamania Festival. The appeal hearing is due to go to the magistrates court in April which I shall be attending.
I then went into my business to do the final check of Pendle Business Awards booklets and menus which were being designed in our graphics studio. In the early afternoon I met with Janet Fraser from Helping Hands Partnership who wanted to talk to me about the setting up of a Community Enterprise Board. There is already one facilitated under the Sirolli Institute in Rossendale and they want to expand it into Pendle.
Tuesday 26 February
Into the Town Hall for a meeting about civic finance, which as this was the first time I had been involved with this, and was very illuminating. The budgets look about right and we should be able to complete the term within it. We followed that with another meeting regarding the Black & White Civic Charity Ball, which for the first time is being organised by Jane and the committee clerks.
I perch on a stool at the top of the stairs and the photographer is on a ladder for the photo
After that we had our official photographs taken. All Mayors, have had their photograph taken, right back from the first Nelson Mayors in the1890’s. So we are continuing civic history. However most Mayors in recent years had their picture in the Mayor’s Parlour but I didn’t want that so we had it taken in front of the old glass doors that lead to the Council Chamber. Being a devil for detail I wanted the stained glass in the doors to show well so I insisted on standing on a stepladder to get to the right height.
The Mayoress shows the effect that we are after
In the evening I was back in the Town Hall again for Pendle Council’s Special Budget Meeting. This is never an easy meeting as budgets speeches are made but you can never be sure what amendments will be moved, so I have to really try to keep my wits about me. The meeting went on for 2½ hours and because I have to sit in the extremely uncomfortable big Mayor’s chair in my gown and civic chains, I was more than a little drained by the time that we had finished.
Wednesday 27 February
I didn’t get as much sleep as I would have liked as I was woken by an earthquake at 1am! The quake measuring 5.2 on Richter scale was over in Lincolnshire, but felt all over the country. It was like a train running over the ceiling and made the lights rattle.
In the morning I paid my first visit to the Fence Gate Inn for the run through of the Pendle Business Awards event. The council staff looked to be in full control and the setting looked great, so I left to nip back home for a quick change. Back then to the Fence Gate for the launch of Pendle Vision at 1pm. Pendle Vision promotes the economic regeneration of Pendle and was promised £200k by the Northwest Development Agency to get it started. The main speaker was Sir Peter Hall on; the new geography of England and where does Pendle fit? At 4pm the launch was running a bit late so I had to make my getaway to be able to prepare myself for the Awards event in the evening.
Deborah the organiser and I welcome the first Pendle Business Awards
Everyone told us that the First Pendle Business Awards were an incredible success.
We welcomed everyone to the great event - including my son Alex, Media Director of Printoff Graphic Arts Ltd
We had around 250 people attending from local businesses and support organisations.
I get on stage to thank our successful Pendle businesses to the event
Petty's - winners of the staff training award with Brian Hough M.D. of Printoff, the award sponsor
I went around the tables to chat with as many people as I could get to and was really pleased with the positive attitudes of our innovative companies.
PR pic with Sue - communications and Deborah - Economic Development
Around 80 companies entered for the awards which we had shortlisted down to 30. These were then reduced further to the 9 worthy winners.
Winners! Of the successful first Pendle Business Awards
The Winners!
New Business of the Year
Giddy Kippers, Nelson – Children’s party and play centre
Small Retailer of the Year
Presentation, Barrowford – Gift shop
Most Outstanding Business of the Year – (small)
Harvey Environmental, Colne – Pest control and washroom services
Most Outstanding Business of the Year – (medium/large)
Hope Technology, Barnoldswick – Design and manufacture mountain bike disc brakes and accessorises
Business Commitment to Staff Training
H W Petty, Nelson – Estate agents
Business Commitment to Community
Loop Publishing, Nelson – Northern Life Magazine
Environmental Business of the Year
Malkin Tower Farm, Blacko – Holiday cottages
Business Woman of the Year
Annette Getty - PDS Engineering, Nelson – High Accuracy CNC Engineers
Business Person of the Year
Matthew Kibble – Matthew Kibble Transport, Colne – Haulage
The Mayor’s Lifetime Business Achievement Award
Philip McIvor – Farmhouse Biscuits, Nelson
Everyone enjoying the awards
The last winner, was for my Mayor’s special award for a business person who had contributed significantly to the community in Pendle and Philip McIvor had certain had done that.
Here’s the press release;
Pendle’s first ever business awards is a huge success All the glitz and glamour of the Oscars came to the Fence Gate Inn, for Pendle’s first ever business awards. A total of 250 people packed into the Fence venue for the prestigious event which had been organised to recognise and reward the best of Pendle’s high achieving businesses. Almost 80 companies responded to an invite from the Mayor of Pendle to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
Coun Allan Buck came up with the idea of the awards. He was thrilled with the response and especially the variety of professions that showed interest. He said: “We have a lot of very successful enterprises here in Pendle that deserve recognition and I felt this was an ideal way to do it. “We had a fantastic night. Everyone looked to thoroughly enjoy themselves, whether they were up for an award or there just to support someone who was.” The atmosphere was electric. There were screams of delight, rapturous applause and some genuinely very surprised people. “It had been a very difficult task dwindling the entrants down to just three in each category. In fact, we had to make it four in a couple because of the standard of the entrants,” added Coun Buck. “But we had some very worthy winners - and the shocked look on some of the recipients’ faces was a picture! “Philip McIvor was particularly surprised to receive well-deserved appreciation for his lifetime of work in business and with the community. “Everyone in the room rose to their feet to applaud him when he stepped up to collect his award.” Coun Buck added: “The event was a huge success and we are already looking forward to the next one in 2010.
”But if anyone wants to read more about the evening and see it in pictures, they can log on to my Blog on Pendle Council’s website.”
All the short-listed companies were invited to the awards ceremony. The evening started with a champagne reception, followed by a sit-down meal before the winners were announced.
The Pendle Council staff that did all of the hard work
I got back home by 1am and I can tell you that I was ready for a really good night’s sleep with hopefully no earthquakes.
Thursday 28 February
In the afternoon we went to Barnoldswick’s Victory Park to open the brand new Multi Use Games Area.
I give my opening speech to the children and everyone at Victory Park
We were there with children from St Joseph’s Primary School who showed me how to throw the basketball and helped me cut the ribbon. As usual the scissors were extremely blunt!
Local councillors, council staff, together with the police and a lady from the Big Lottery (who had provided some of the funding) also joined us.
The children jump for joy at the new play area and I get to use the blunt scissors
Here’s the press release;
Pupils from St Joseph’s RC Primary School will be first to use a brand new Multi Use Games Area in Barnoldswick’s Victory Park today, when the Mayor of Pendle officially declares it open. The Mayor, Coun Allan Buck, will be joined at the official opening ceremony on Thursday 28th February by West Craven councillors, representatives from The Big Lottery Fund, staff from Parkdale Play and Leisure, members of Pendle Council and Liberata staff.
The new multi-use games area, or MUGA, provides sporting facilities for local youngsters to play football, hockey, basketball and cricket. The MUGA’s bitmac surface means they can even play in poor weather conditions. And floodlights have been installed so that they can enjoy playing in the evenings - they switch on at dusk, or in poor light conditions, via a photo sensitive cell, and automatically switch off at 9pm.
The Mayor of Pendle said : “I’m happy to be opening this brand new games area for the young people of Barnoldswick. I hope that they will enjoy many happy hours playing here.” Coun Ann Kerrigan, who represents Parks and Recreation in Pendle, said : “This new MUGA has been funded with money from the Children’s Play Initiative, part of the Big Lottery Fund. “It’s the first of four new play facilities we’re completing over the next three years, thanks to a total grant of £261,146 from the Big Lottery Fund. “This particular project was granted £70,800.”
We are welcomed by Gill Holden and Peter Nowland, chair of Pendle Fairtrade group
In the evening we went to a Fair Trade Fashion and Food event at St Bartholomew’s in Colne.
Models at the Fairtrade Fashion Show
Here’s what I said;
Welcome to Pendle's second Fairtrade Food and Fashion Show to celebrate national Fairtrade Fortnight.
Back in 2003 Pendle was the first Fairtrade Borough in the UK and we are very proud to be continuing to support Fairtrade. As Mayor I have also supported Fairtrade by visiting shops that sell the products and by having fair-trade products available at some of our events. Only last night for instance, we celebrated the first Pendle Business Awards and gave out fair-trade chocolate to all of the 250 guests.
This event has been organised by a range of organisations including; Ocarina,Fair Necessities, the Co-op Group, Open Door, St Bartholomew's,Pendleside Hospice and Pendle Borough Council
All proceeds go to Pendleside Hospice. Last year we raised over £700 from the event and hope to improve on that this evening. We hope you enjoy the Fairtrade Food & Fashion Show
The Coop are big supporters of Fairtrade goods and provided over £500 for the food at the event
Friday 29 February (Leap Year)
Lambs are in the field next to the house, the curlews are back and the primroses are pushing through, so spring is well and truly on its way.
We are welcomed by the School Council
After a morning business meeting in Accrington I had to get back home to prepare for our visit to Higham St John’s Primary School. Dressed in full civic regalia, including the gown and chains, we were met by the members of the school council.
I show Pendle's civic robes and regalia to the children
After photographs, we were taken into the library for a biscuit and a glass of orange. We had a chat with them about what they did at the school, whilst the rest of the school were assembling in the hall.
I answer more tricky questions from the School Council
The Mayoress and I then went into the hall to answer some really good questions from the children. Afterwards we showed them the rest of the civic chains and allowed them to try on the Mayor’s cocked hat and have a go with the Mace (which is supposed to be to defend me!). It was a very enjoyable visit and when we left we were waived off by the children.
A much needed night in to get my feet up and watch Leeds beat Melbourne in the Rugby League world team cup. I have also got a rare weekend off so I should be able to catch up on all the things that get left when I am busy.
