Mayoral Viewpoint: Councillor Mike Booth
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The first two months of summer have certainly been busy but very rewarding to have the chance to meet so much of the local community and join them to share their special events.
We began the summer by marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, attending several ceremonies at the borough’s War Memorials. We must give a grateful mention to the preparations and highly respectful ceremonial procedures carried out by the Royal British Legion – it was our privilege to join the group and all who attended the ceremony to mark the occasion.
This same feeling carried us through to the honour of attending the Armed Forces Day celebrations, reinforcing the huge debt we all owe to the members of the Armed Forces who fought for our country and those who carry out peace keeping duties throughout the world for our country today.
As we continued through the summer months, the Mayoress and I also had the honour of meeting one of the Royal Navy veterans and joining him in celebrating his 100th birthday. It was certainly one of those special afternoons when you connect with that generation who gave so much for their country so that we could live our lives in peace and freedom today.
The Ecofest was another great success, offering a day filled with all things sustainable. This event gets bigger and better every year, and our borough has benefitted enormously from the commitment of so many environmental volunteers.
Oswaldtwistle Carnival returned for another year (and when it rains in Oswaldtwistle, it really rains!). Nevertheless, the people came out in their numbers and lined the streets, creating a fantastic atmosphere that carried through to the afternoon when the sun came out for the big Carnival.
Despite a damp summer so far, it was a glorious day for the Community Solutions Summer Fair at Elmfield Hall, seeing the community come together for a day with plenty of entertainment and stalls, whilst supporting all the work that Community Solutions does for our area.
The Mayor Making Ceremony brought our families, friends and colleagues together to enjoy an unforgettable event. I must offer our sincere thanks to the Democratic Services Team at Hyndburn Council for making it such an enjoyable ceremony for everyone who attended. Congratulations also to the new aldermen on their special recognition for service to the borough.
The 1st July cast its long shadow over the townships, once more remembering that fateful morning on the Somme battlefield in 1916. East Lancashire will forever remember the sacrifices made by the Accrington Pals battalion and as the fiftieth Mayor of Hyndburn, it was an honour to be formally part of that remembrance ceremony.
Whilst I unfortunately cannot talk about every engagement in the detail that I would like to, I must extend a heartfelt thanks to all the individuals, community groups and organisations who took the time to invite myself and the Mayoress along to enjoy your special events.