Springing into action

A few years ago the Buckingham Transition Group convened a Fair for local environmental and associated crafting groups to get together and sell their wares, as it were. The Town Council took over this fair a while back and this year's Spring Fair was held in the cattle pens last Sunday. The weather was middling and so there was a good footfall of people interested in the various stalls on offer ranging from the Woodland Trust, Men in Sheds and the National Trust. The local scouts provided some cake and hot dog sustenance while the Brackley Morris Men provided some of the entertainment. I popped in on my way to the Civic Service. (See later blog)

Here are some pics taken by me and Robin. (And note the environmental 'activist' cleaning up our town!) Also below is a programme of events coming up at the Old Gaol - not to be missed!

Thank you Buckingham Rugby Union Football Club!

Here is a pic of BRUFC Chairman Simon Smith presenting me with a cheque for £500 for the Mayor's Charity Fund. Thank you to everyone involved in the club's fundraising efforts. Not only did my three charities benefit but, at the lunch, I heard about the amazing efforts to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. A bunch of the young players decided to have a sponsored head shave to raise money for this trust after learning of one of their team had been diagnosed with cancer. They have managed to raise a stonking £22k - which is just in incredible!

So, as last year, it was wonderful to be a part of one of the BRUFC lunches with lashings of sumptuous food and (more importantly) mountains of camaraderie and good cheer. Rugby is a growing sport and is drawing many more young women and girls to play as well as the young men and boys teams. And I can see why: the spirit of community and friendship is frankly awesome and evidently lasts a lifetime!

Thanks to Julian Cook for the pic above.

Keeping Mayoral links strong

One of the jobs of a Town Mayor is maintain good relationships with neighbouring towns and parishes. As a consequence, I have always tried to get to events that I have been invited to by local town Mayors. Last Wednesday evening was one example: Julie and I were hugely delighted and most grateful to be part of this fund raising evening in a local Chinese restaurant in Leighton Buzzard on the invitation of the Mayor of Leighton Linslade, Cllr Clive Palmer.

We sat on a table of six with the Deputy Mayors of Ampthill and Leighton Linslade, and their partners/consorts. We had great conversations about housing, cemeteries and health commissioning as well as more usual subjects such as families, holidays and the like. And the food was fabulous too!

A journey through the laughing glass

Last night Julie and I went along to the Royal Latin School to listen to Andy McConnell of Antiques Roadshow fame. (He is their resident glassware specialist, we were told.) It was a fundraising evening for BACAB which supports the local Citizens Advice service. Neither Julie nor I are particularly into antiques and (dare I say this) do not tend to watch the BBC programme on Sunday evenings (unlike six million other people apparently). So we went expecting a couple of glasses of wine, a canapé or three, chat with some of the good people of the Town and (we thought) a fairly tedious presentation about antique glassware. How wrong I was!

Not only was the part of his presentation about glassware fascinating: who knew that old pieces of glass contained so much social history (which does interest me)!? But also, we were treated to a whistle stop tour through his earlier life where he explained how he worked with Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa no less, among many other household rock star names! And thorough all of his, Andy held his audience in the palm of his hand with a heady mixture of laugh out loud humour, poignant candour, some slightly risqué stories and a whole array of provocative opinions. We enjoyed ourselves hugely.

It was one of those occasions as Mayor that I have been blown away with something so unexpected and so delightful. Thank you to everyone who helped to organise and run yesterday evening - and of course - great thanks to Andy who entertained us so well. I might even have to start watching the Antiques Roadshow now!

Building UK / USA relations

Julie and I spent Friday night on the base of RAF Croughton, among other dignitaries from nearby towns (which stretched as far afield as Newbury!) and districts. It was the USAF's annual reception where they celebrate their links with the localities in which they operate. I spent a good chunk of my time encouraging the servicemen and servicewomen I spoke with to come and visit Buckingham.

There were lots of interesting people to get to know including representatives of the US Army as well as their Airforce. I learnt why the army has different colour trousers to the their tunics. It dates back to when they were (in the words of the officer I spoke with) 'fighting with the American Indians'. Pics below are the all the 'Voluntary Commanders' who work with the base's officer team to help them build relationships with British services, councils and business. One of the Commanders appointed was the 'Director of Beer' for Arkell's Brewery (Swindon) for example!

The invites are shown too which explains the purpose of the event.

Well Being Walk #2

This year's walk was blessed with beautiful weather. All the participants were treated to blue skies, great company and conversations, energy snacks and water at the beginning (care of Waitrose - thank you), and sandwiches and refreshments at the Vinson Building (care of the University - thank you) at the end.

The walk was organised by this year's High Sheriff (Professor Ruth Farwell), the Vice Chancellor (Sir Anthony Seldon) and myself. Both last year's and next year's High Sheriffs also came along as well as many local people and others from further afield. We had a glorious time reflecting on what more could be done by us and others to ensure that we have good mental well being in our town and beyond.

Here's to next year!

Swimathon

Every year the Rotary Club organises the Annual Swimathon which enables local charities to raise money - with medals, prizes and cake (with help from the Inner Wheel) help them do this. Julie and I popped in briefly to support the team raising money for the Buckingham Youth Club (after a day at the Graduation Ceremonies).

Well done to everyone involved - swimmers, supporters and organisers!

Graduation ceremonies

Julie and I spent all day at the University Graduation ceremonies on Friday and Saturday last weekend. Such a wonderful and (to quote Sir Anthony Seldon, the Vice Chancellor) sacred event for the hundreds of students gaining their degrees. As last year, it was pure joy to see the relief and pride on the faces of the students as they shook Sir Anthony's hand. (The shoes were something special too!) It was good to represent the Town at these events. We want these bright and dynamic students to consider making Buckingham their home. They are most welcome of course. And it was important to honour their efforts and learning.

Moreover, this year, one of the inspirational speakers was the Vice President of Ghana, no less. Julie and I presented them with bouquets as they arrived in the town. It was good to meet Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife, Samira Bawumia if only very briefly.

Flowers for the Vice President of Ghana and his wife

Launch of the Buckingham Enterprise & Innovation Unit

Thursday evening last week, I attended this launch to help boost enterprise and innovation in our Town and beyond. We were treated to several keynote presentations including one by Richard Harrington, CEO of the Buckinghamshire and Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership. He talked much about the 'Oxford Cambridge Arc' and the central role that the new Unit will have in supporting these developments.

I did suggest that the Arc ought to be renamed the 'Buckingham Bow', poised to send arrows of innovation and enterprise into the future. (The new name may or may not catch on!)

As always it was great to meet some very interesting people including a couple of chaps who have created an App that assists students from all around the world access bursaries and other funds to enable them to study. How clever is that!

Happy 70th Birthday Buckingham Library!

Buckingham Library is 70 years old! And on Thursday we had a big birthday party. Pam Gowen and I got to cut the cake! And a wonderful cake it was. Here are a few pics scooped from social media and my own camera that captures some the joy of the event. And at the bottom is the speech I gave (care of Robin's ipad). My main point was: anyone can put a book on a shelf - but only a great, warm and welcoming team of skilled librarians and staff can make a library! 

Talking with Cllr Noel Bown, the BCC Cabinet member responsible for Libraries

Buckingham Town Meeting

The Town Council hosted the Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday evening last week. The Annual Town Meeting is for the whole town to come together and review the past year and think about the next one and beyond. It is not a TC meeting but one that the TC is happy to convene. More than 50 local residents turned up to discuss community safety, planning matters, local health provision, river pollution, the relationship between the 'town and gown', local roads, the cemetery etc etc etc...

We had Thames Valley, AVDC, Bucks County Council, UoB, the Environment Agency, and the Town Council all present. Most of the evening was spent heads down in discussions around the tables as the photo below shows. There will be a report published weaving together the results from the evening's meeting and the 'virtual' Annual Town Meeting organised by the Town Council on social media in the weeks running up to last Wednesday.

There were some good debates and information sharing: problem solving together to create an even better Buckingham!

The selfie calm before the storm! Town Clerk Paul Hodson in the back ground. Thanks to all the TC staff who made all this happen.

The Buckingham to Stowe Promenade

The weather was most kind to the 60 - 70 people who turned up to take part in the first (of many?) Buckingham to Stowe Promenade. (The hail arrived in town four hours later!) We had a glorious and gentle perambulation up the bridle way to the Corinthian Arch. And then here, for the first time since Queen Victoria, we promenaded through the archway to look forward to Stowe House and backwards to the Town.

After a 30 minute break for a quick coffee or snack etc, the group (minus a few people) continued on to the gardens and then on into the marble room at Stowe House.

The trip prompted conversations between friends, new and old as we passed the budding trees and dancing daffodils. This was a wholesome journey, one that I hope will be repeated in coming years. But all those who came along today, will always know they were part of the first one!

There was no collection for the Mayor's Charities but if people would like to make a donation, here is the link.

My huge thanks to the team at Stowe NT and Stowe House for making all this possible. There will be more photographs soon (watch this space) from various people including the drone photographer hired by Stowe and the University Journalism students.

The walk begins

 
People pour through the arch

The gates are open!

We arrive at Stowe House

The Promenade reaches its conclusion

Milton Keynes Civic Reception

One of the main roles of a Town Mayor is to maintain convivial relations with our neighbours. Throughout my (near) two years as Buckingham Mayor, I have attended many functions in our neighbouring towns and last Friday was another one. At the invitation of the Milton Keynes Mayor and his Mayoress, Julie and I spent the evening chatting to the other guests (the Lord Lieutenant, the High Sheriff, MK councillors, other Mayors,  among others).

Topics of conversation included friendly chat of course, but also discussions about homelessness, the route of the express way through our district, the controversy surrounding how home owners on new estates are now expected to pay on top of council tax for services that their neighbours in nearby estates get as part of the council service package, and other topics! It is always helpful and valuable to gather the experiences of other towns and bring these ideas back to our town.

It was a positive and enjoyable evening during which we heard much about the MK Mayor's chosen charity - the MK Bus Shelter. There were some children from the MK Chinese school performing some beautiful folk dancing with ribbons.

25th Anniversary of Part Time Law Degree

On Saturday 9 March, Julie and I had the honour of being part of the celebrations of 25 years of the University's part time law degrees. There were many alumni and past lecturers present to note and recognise the large numbers of students (many of them local people) who have gained a degree. Many of these graduates have gone on to a career in some branch of the law. A wonderful occasion graced by some inspiring speeches from the current course leader and Dean of the Law School and made all the more magical by some carefully created table decorations by (I think) the daughter of one of the past students.

Young Carers - seniors!

On Friday last I spent an hour with the senior Young Carers, finding out what they think would make Buckingham an even better place for them (or "less boring" as one person put it!) They had lots of ideas! (See below)

• Pop up cafe in Bourton Park during busy times
• And a public toilet there too
• More shelters & indoor spaces for young people to go to especially when it's raining 
• A bigger MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) in Chandos Park 
• No more coffee shops
• Existing coffee shops to be more young person friendly 
• A McDonald's 
• A café for young people 
• A water park 
• A way (?) of stopping people who are too old from using the playgrounds
• Indoor skate park 
• Outside pool
• Playgrounds for older youngsters with a proper zip wire etc
• Paintball area
• Fishpond 
• Ways to encourage young people to go outside more (not stuck on a tablet/comp) 
• No more hairdressers 
• KFC 
• Go kart arena
• Better roads - fewer pot holes 

... an amazing list! I explained that many of these were not in the gift of the Town Council or just too expensive right now. But this has prompted me to explore possibilities such as a cafe in Bourton Park or maybe a portaloo during school holidays perhaps. There are other things that could happen with a bit of nifty resource "skullduggery" too.

It was great to meet them - a lively group of enthusiastic young people. Such a joy.

Pancakes away!!

Saturday saw the traditional pancake races organised by the Town Council up by the parish church. Such a fun occasion with the innovation this year of a team relay race for various groups. Buckingham Blue (local Conservative Association) won the relay. Lots of camaraderie and hearty laughs all round - and especially lovely to see lots of children enjoying the occasion too.

Thanks to Cllr Anthony Ralph for all the pics below.

The 'adult' race!

Cllr Cole, Deputy Mayor (and now Mayor 2019/2020 Elect) gives out the prizes

Cllr Bloomfield enjoying himself!

The winning relay team - Buckingham Blue.

Our tradtiional opening of course - from the Town Crier (who is about to run the London Marathon in aid of the Old Gaol and the Mayor's Charities - look out for the sponsorship forms!)

Cllr Angela Macpherson, leader of AVDC, as you have never seen her before...!

The team from the Library made a sterling effort - I suggested they should have had books in their frying pans not pancakes.

The police were there in numbers!

A panorama of joy!