Amidst all the tragic news of further terrorism attacks and the horrific fire in Kensington last week there was little to celebrate. But the Worthing Children’s Parade is always a happy and celebratory event and it provided some much needed light relief amidst the gloom.
This year we were marking the 10th Children’s Parade since the event was first instituted as a way of showing whatever Brighton can do we can do better, and how they have. It has been a delight to compere the parade as it reaches Steyne Gardens after wending its way along the prom and through the town, and is one of my favourite events of the year.
This year was the biggest and best yet with no fewer than 19 local schools taking part including St Andrew’s, Arundel CofE and Sion for the first time. The theme was the books of children’s author Julia Donaldson made even more special with Julia there in person to speak to the children having been blown away by the work and imagination that had gone into recreating her characters. Well done to Caroline Woodward and her team who worked so hard with teachers and parents to lay on such a spectacle and Annette Charles is bowing out after organising the accompanying fair in Steyne Gardens after 10 successful years.
Another tenth anniversary fell this week with the 10th Adur and Worthing Annual Eco Summit returning again to Davison’s school in Worthing. It was the biggest yet with over 220 students from 24 local schools attending keen to do their bit for the environment. I originally set up the project for schools to come together to share some of the ideas they were pursuing to help cut waste, reduce energy bills, recycle and re-use and learn about the origin of foods and how to care better for our locality.
There was a real buzz at this year’s event with our youthful Worthing Mayor and other local councillors really throwing themselves into the workshops and learning a lot from the younger generation who will inherit the problems we leave. There will be a full write up on the www.eyeproject.co.uk website.
I attended the Post Office consultation drop-in in Lancing on Monday to take soundings on the relocation (for which read downgrading) of the Lancing Crown Post Office to a convenience store opposite. Pictured here with Laura Tarling from the Post Office. A similar event was held in Shoreham where the fate of the Crown Post office there seems headed the same inappropriate way. I was disappointed to hear that only around 50 residents had attended each event with few more writing in. It is essential that as many people as possible register their objections before June 27th or these changes will go through unchallenged. Details of where to write to are on my website.