We have had fewer events during March as the Mayor visited China for ten days with a small delegation from the town. They spent time in Zibo City, which is now linked with Bournemouth as a Sister City for the promotion of business, education and cultural links. Educational links have already been made with several schools in our town and there are now promising business links. Early in March we visited a local company, Finishing Brands, who manufacture spray pumps of all kinds. The company is a leader in their field and their Vice President joined the delegation to Zibo and is hopeful of gaining business.
We have held several receptions in the Mayor’s Parlour to thank those who have made significant contributions to the town. These have included local Friends’ Groups from Boscombe, Kinson, Townsend and Boscombe Chine Gardens as well as the Council Staff and others who were involved in organising and running the Air Festival. We also invited a group of leaders of the Muslim community who much appreciated being brought into our civic life. We have held only one dinner party which was for the main partners in the Air Festival, in appreciation for their continuing support. Commodore Miller and Flight Lieutenant Alf Garnet attended but the Army representative was unable to come.
We were invited to two dinners; one at the East Cliff Court Hotel which followed the AGM of Bournemouth Accommodation and Hotel Association (BAHA) of which the Mayor is Honorary President during his year of office; the second was the new launch of the Zizzi Restaurant which was held as a charity dinner for the RNLI.
We have attended an Amnesty International Art Exhibition at the Central Library, a coffee morning at the War Memorial Homes, the launch of the new Food Waste Service held in the town centre and a charity evening and exhibition at the East Cliff Court Hotel which was organized by the BU students. This was in aid of ‘Help for Heroes’, with the theme of ‘Let us Remember’ and there was an exhibition of military memorabilia from both World Wars, as well as other themed entertainment. We also attended a service at the Sacred Heart Church in celebration of Women’s World Day of Prayer. This was an unusual and interesting service with an Egyptian theme entitled ‘Streams in the Desert’. The church ladies had prepared the church to give an Egyptian ‘feel’ and were themselves clothed in Arab dress. They presented a dramatisation of aspects of Egyptian life and worship, both past and present. The service was most evocative as the ladies were convincing in their roles; several were ladies from RHSA and I thank them for a very unexpected and lovely service.
Mid-month we travelled to Yeovil for their Mayor’s Civic Day, where we toured the AgustaWestland Helicopter Company. We visited the production line, the maintenance line where helicopters are dismantled for repair and upgrade, and the maintenance operations hub where they organize emergency work in the field. I was surprised at how many different models there are of helicopters and how very luxurious one being built for an Arab Sheik was; in most cases safety is the highest priority in production but in this case comfort and luxury were also a high priority! The factory was immaculately clean, tidy and orderly, with nothing out of place.
After the tour we had lunch at Thorne House, a beautiful old Victorian building which has been restored and enhanced as a corporate hospitality centre for the Company.
We accepted a request from Hope FM to be interviewed on their local radio programme. As this interview was to go out live, it was useful that we had previously had the experience of being interviewed by Radio Bedside. This made us familiar with the set-up and format, so we were less anxious. We have not yet received a copy of the interview and cannot now remember what was said!
Whilst the Mayor was in China I attended a number of events alone. I was honoured to have been invited by Bournemouth Soroptomists to present the awards to the winners of the STEM Challenge held at the University. The STEM Challenge is now an annual competition organized by the Soroptomists International (SI) to encourage young women to study such subjects as science (S), technology (T), engineering (E) and mathematics (M). A competition is organized with the local schools in which the students are required to design, build and cost a project to help people in the poorest parts of the world. The girls from Avonbourne College won the top award with an all-terrain water carrier. They now aim to get funding in order to develop a prototype of their design and eventually see it in use.
I was invited to a charity quiz night for the Special Olympians held at the Highcliffe Hotel. Though I am pretty hopeless at quizzes I always enjoy them. This was no exception and I had a very pleasant evening and was made very welcome. I also attended a Probus Ladies Lunch at the Miramar Hotel. The speaker’s topic was the life and work of Thomas Hardy. This was lucky as I had read (partially) Trumpet Major at school so it gave me more content for my own speech. I was also invited to a dinner party by the Iranian and Farsi Community to celebrate the Persian New Year which was held at The Royal Bath Hotel. The evening was a little late in beginning due to late arrivals but later settled down and the food and entertainment were very good. The hospitality was warm, kind and courteous and I enjoyed the company of my hosts.
What else? We have had meetings to discuss the Founder’s Day this will be held on the 24th April which was the day in the year 1812 when Louise Tregonwell moved into his new home in Bourne Mouth. We have also had meetings to discuss the Mayor’s Ball which will include non-stop entertainment and is to be held in The Pavilion on Saturday, 3rd May. The entertainers are all Bournemouth talent who we have seen during our Mayoral year. There will be entertainment by groups from several local schools at the beginning of the evening from 6:15 to 7:15 pm when we hope there will be a good audience for them. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m. during which there will be live acts and there will be dancing later in the evening. Both the Mayor and I hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend and we look forward to welcoming you on the evening.
I think that’s all for now.
God bless.
Elaine Cooper
Mayor of Bournemouth 