The Lord Mayor of Liverpool

The City organised a very emotional Service for the people at Liverpool Town Hall. Liverpool like the rest of the world has been shocked by the images from Haiti, homes crumbled to the ground, peoples lives devastated, children searching for their lost parents and parents searching for their lost children, people trapped beneath the rubble and a country nearly destroyed by this earthquake. The event included relief charities and young people from our City. Thousands of pounds has so far been raised . Rev marcus Touchon from Haiti on a placement to Merseyside led the service, Notre Dame Girls College sang and Gerry Marsden end the service by singing' you will never walk alone'.

This week I was asked to open a Community Facility in North Liverpool. The North Liverpool Award Centre has had it's building refurbished and operates asa Centre for excluded young people. Not only do they do accredited training courses, but also volunteering and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. It was really great to see young people being given a second chance. Well done to Peter Bull- the Chair of the Management Committee and staff and Volunteers.

I also went to the opening of the New Hilton Hotel. The opening was quite an occasion with red carpet, the great and the good of Liverpool in their best party clothes and entertainment provided by the Sugar Babes - think I preferred the Young People's Centre in North Liverpool. But the opening of the Hilton does show how far Liverpool has come for it's tourists.

On Friday children from St Nicholas R.C. Primary School came to the Town Hall and I did a question and answer session with them - move over Jeremy Paxman!

Saturday saw the laying of a pink and black triangle wreath at St John's Gardens for the victims of hate crime and persecution and that night I went to a concert at the Philharmonic in aid of Help the Heroes. A huge amount of money was raise and well done to Dougie Icke of the 33 Signal Regiment Volunteers for organising the Concert.

The duties of Lord Mayor have moments of great sorrow. I attended the Funera Service of Simon Hornby at Liverpool Cathedral.Simon was a young soldier who was of killed in Afganistan. The Catheral was filled with to capacity. Simon came from Halewood and his young wife from Liverpool. At moments like this you realise the huge debt we owe to our soldiers and their families.

I visited Claire House which gives children with terminal illness and their families support. Either at their home or at Claire House itself. The staff do such an amazing job. The running costs have to be raised from charitable donations. The staff do an absolutely amazing job.

Hope University was a place of great joy this week. The chapel roof which caught fire two years ago and also damaged the chapel itself, saw the new chapel rededicated. The next day Ken Dodd was installed as an Honorary Doctor of Letters ( including jokes). Laughter filled the chapel as the Squire of Knotty Ash gave his speech- lunch was an hour late! Cannon Michael Woolfe received a fellowship and the next day at the age of 80 and on Austalian Day, Rolf Harris received an Honorary Degree. Sadly there were no kangeroos to accompany Rolf.

Finally, St Agnes on ullet Road celebrated their 125th Birthday with a special Service. When the chuch was built it was decribed as the finest Victorian Churc in England.      

Lord Mayor’s get invited to many award ceremonies, but for me, the best ones are those which involve ordinary people who are celebrating their particular achievements.  In 1997 Liverpool set up its first JET Centre – Jobs, Education and Training.  There are now 5 JET Centres in Liverpool which work with employers to get people into training or into work. Last week the 5 Liverpool JETS had their Awards Evening at St George’s Hall.  Here, employers, who have supported the scheme, JET staff and their client’s, were celebrated.  The JET Centres pioneered in Liverpool have been taken up in other parts of the UK and even in Poland, another Liverpool first.

I was also this week sent on a driving test but this time, not to see how well I drive, but to see how eco-friendly my driving was.  The energy saving trust has developed a one hour driving course which teaches drivers to have a fuel efficient style.  I drove for 3 miles and in my normal way and was getting 44.1 miles per gallon.  After the course I was 58.1 miles per gallon.  Not only helping the environment but also saving money.  The course is going to be launched in Liverpool – watch out for details!

As the Lord Mayor I am getting a bit of a reputation of bring on the rain.

At the Lord Mayor’s Parade, it rained; the Freedom Ceremony of the Sea Cadets, it rained; and the Beating of the Retreats of Naval reserves, it rained!

So I went to the International Liverpool Knowsley Football tournament and guess what – it rained!

This tournament is now the second largest youth football tournament in the world. It brings together 3,000 participants, 100 different clubs and teams from throughout the world who play in the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship at venues throughout Liverpool and Knowsley. It was a great event – all we need is some wonderful weather next year.

I was honoured to attend the EARLY presentation event. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service run a 12-week course for young people between 16 and 25 years of age. These young people often find themselves in very difficult situations. The course helps them to rebuild their lives.

So congratulations to David from Wavertree, Freddie from Anfield, Sammy from Norris Green, Emma from Huyton, Adam and Paul from Birkenhead, and a big thank you to the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for running this excellent course.