Mayor of Preston blog - June

Here are some of the highlights of my first full month as Mayor of Preston.

The Goosnargh and Whittingham Whitsuntide Festival, a 150-year-old tradition, is held on the first Saturday of every June and I was delighted to attend.

I joined the Celebrating Ghost Buster Charity event at Odeon Cinema, Riversway, Preston. So far, they have raised just over £15k, in Lancashire for 'MIND' charity, which helps people suffering from mental health.

I enjoyed the Inspire North and Central Lancashire Volunteers Graduation Ceremony, with Nikki Armitage (Manager) and the staff.

Onward Homes Creating Positive spaces.  A vision for new affordable homes at Horrocks Mill. Up to 380 new houses and apartments in different sizes and styles to meet local people's different needs.

Preston Mela. I was pleased to see that Preston City Mela was celebrating 26 years of community arts and showcases some of our rich and diverse community cultures for all to experience. I felt very proud and privileged to be a part of the Mela programme. Thanks to organiser Gulab Singh and his team.

L'Arche Preston is a community that celebrates people with learning disabilities and builds circles of support around them. The exhibited artists are people with and without the label of learning disabilities from Preston and surrounding areas aged from 18-60. I presented the certificates to the artists for their creative works.  Thanks to Kathrine and Jacquie.

I joined Grange Community Gardens with the members of Strive 2 Thrive (S2T), visiting members Miss King (from London), Mr. Ahmed (from Sheffield), Tasha (founder of S2T), Lisa

Stepanovic (founder of Social Ark) and Taahir Ali (founder of Community Hub, Preston). It was a fantastic event and to see people from all communities mixing and mingling with each other and working as team, as a unit, it was wonderful. Thanks to the organisers.

It was a privilege and an honour to open the Windrush generation 75 Festival at Avenham Park, Preston.  It was the celebration for the Windrush generation and their contribution to our community and the importance of cohesion. Cohesion is about coming together as one, despite our differences. It's about recognising that we are all part of the same community, and that we all have something to share or contribute. The Windrush Generation showed us what cohesion looks like. They came to this country with nothing but their ambition and their determination to build a better life for themselves and their families.  And, in doing so, they became an integral component of our community. Thanks to Adrian Murrell and his team for staging such a magnificent event and to bring all diverse communities together on one platform. As a representative of the proud city of Preston, it made me proud too.  

I also welcomed Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services/Princes' Trust Team visiting me in the Mayor's Parlour at Preston Town Hall.

It filled me with pride to be able to join the Armed Forces Veterans for Armed Forces Flag Raising today on 19 June at Preston Cenotaph, plus attending the Armed Forces event on 24 June. We must never forget the sacrifices made for our freedoms and we honour all those who have lost their lives through conflict.

I was delighted to join the unveiling ceremony of a plaque commemorating British-Polish collaboration with Consulate General of Poland at St. Maria Goretti Church, Preston.

My month ended on a competitive note when I visited the Preston City Games at UCLan. I presented all the trophies to the winners and was happy to see that Preston City Council clinched third place in both the netball and football competitions. Well done to everyone that took part.

Join me again soon when I will share more of my recent engagements.