Mayoral Viewpoint: Cllr Josh Allen
Mayoral Viewpoint: Cllr Josh Allen
I am thrilled and honoured to accept the Mayoral duty for this upcoming year and cannot wait to see what lies ahead. Firstly, I would like to offer my congratulations to the out-going Mayor, Cllr Mike Booth, who did an amazing job representing our borough. He helped to raise money for some very worthy charities and has provided myself with a wonderful example for how a Mayoral year should look.
One of the many pleasures that comes with the role of Mayor is getting to interact with the local people. I could think of no better way to begin this year than by attending events such as the Great Harwood Show and the Charity Spring Fair and being able to meet the wide variety of people who call Hyndburn their home.
I attended the Charity Spring Fair in Great Harwood on Saturday 17 May and what a fantastic way to kick off the year! It was organised by the wonderful local charity, Milly’s Smiles – aptly named as there were plenty of smiling faces throughout the day, which was marvellous to see. The sun came out, the event was fantastic, and it was such a fabulous way to celebrate the Milly’s Smile campaign. It truly shows what brilliant businesses and organisations we have on our doorsteps.
On Monday 26 May, I attended the Great Harwood Show, and it was fantastic to see the amount of people who showed up. From show jumping to trade stands and craft stalls, there was something for everyone and truly displays the amazing sense of community in our borough. Great Harwood show is an event I have attended for years but given that I attended as Mayor this year, it felt extra special. As always, the entire organisational team pulled out all the stops to make such an incredible event happen. Events like this help to put our borough on the map and show that here in Hyndburn, our community is one which shines throughout Lancashire.
I was also delighted to attend a medal reparation service held at the Alma pub in Baxenden. It was a beautiful service which was attended by veterans including a 102-year-old D-Day Veteran and the fantastic Accrington Royal British Legion. It was truly inspirational to be in the company of such remarkable and brave people.
One thing that has always amazed me is the charitable nature of the people of Hyndburn. It is a true inspiration to me, and with that in mind I have chosen the following charities to support during my Mayoral year: Accrington Community Events, who dedicate their time to hosting free/affordable local events around the borough; Andy’s Man Club, who are a men’s suicide prevention charity; Church & Oswaldtwistle Royal British Legion, who work tirelessly to raise money for our servicemen and women; and Oswaldtwistle Cadet and Scout Youth Zone, who do fantastic work supporting our young people.
Both myself and my Mayoress’, Robyn Bradshaw-Allen and Sheena Tyldesley, are looking forward to raising money for these worthy causes, and I am sure that we will have the support of the people of Hyndburn along the way. It truly is an honour to represent our great borough, and we are humbled by the opportunity. Let the work begin!