Mayor’s Reception for the Armed Forces

On a delightfully warm last Friday evening, the Deputy Mayoress and I supported our Mayor, Cllr John May and his wife Juliette, in their civic reception under the theme “The Armed Forces – Past, Present and Future”.

The event was well attended by many past service veterans, many of whom are volunteers for a range of service charities. At this Civic reception guests were able to listen to the welcome address from our Mayor in our Council Chamber, and afterwards reminisce on the terrace outside the Council Chamber.

It’s a pleasure to see our Chamber and terrace used for events such as this, which I know, from having talked to many guests, that they appreciated and enjoyed. Some of that enjoyment derives from the way the Mayor’s Secretary, Pat Ross, makes such events run so smoothly, and the excellence of the catering staff keeping the assemblage suitably fed and watered. 

Just what a Civic Reception should be, an event that our ‘honoured’ guests enjoy, about which they can tell others that we’re a well run Council. Mustn’t forget to note that all our Council’s directors were all in attendance, some staying right to the end, and that our Museum Curator, Sharon Cross, had prepared three panels of historical photo’s and material on our connection with the Armed Forces, including an interesting display on the presence of Free French Forces on Barossa Common in WWII.

Flying a flag to celebrate Armed Forces Day

Being among the celebration party at the flag raising at Surrey Heath House on Monday to mark Armed Forces Day this Saturday offered an opportunity to say thank you to those who bear arms in our defence.

Serving armed forces personnel, service veterans, past-Mayors of Surrey Heath, councillors, and our current Mayor, Cllr John May, were among those witnessing the raising of a flag to mark Armed Forces Day.

Our Mayor, pictured on the right, spoke briefly and eloquently on the sacrifice and duty of our armed forces. Point to note: I’m rubbish at taking photographs. I neglected to ensure that the Mayoress, Juliette May, was included in the picture. Juliette is the person in pink standing behind Cllr John May. Must try harder.

I’ve mentioned on my Lightwater blog, how delighted I was to see two friends, from Bagshot, respond to an invitation on my Lightwater blog to watch the flag raising. As they were each wearing a Help for Heroes tee-shirt someone in the flag raising party invited them to join the tea and biscuits gathering in the Council offices after the event.

It was a slight disappointment that there weren’t more to watch the event on the lawn outside the Council offices. Perhaps we need to do more to publicise civic events such as these.

Being Deputy Mayor means I attend events where the Mayor is unable to attend. I must say I’m absolutely chuffed to be the civic representative at The Royal Logistics Corps Armed Forces Open Day this Saturday at Dettingden Fields in Deepcut. We try to go to this event every year, so it’s a doubly pleasing to attend as Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress, which will give us the chance to say thank you again to the Army.

I can’t give a better description of the day than from Paul Deach on Surrey Heath Residents blog.