MAYOR'S MOMENT: Fun and games in the sun

On entering the park all that could be heard was the sound of fun, laughter and enjoyment from a large gathering of children who were already taking advantage of this wonderful free event.

An assortment of activities including giant inflatables that could be climbed and walked over, an arts area and a wood working area supervised by the play rangers enabled the children’s imagination and creativity to run wild whilst parents were able to allow them to play freely whilst also enjoying the joys of the park.

Their next session in the park will be July 28 from 11am until 1pm – this is aimed at children aged five to 14, and older and younger siblings are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

Later that day saw me visit the Laurels Day Centre along with Jamie Bennett, the new chairman of Rustington Parish Council, to join the clients, staff and volunteers of Age UK West Sussex celebrate its 60th anniversary and mark the unification of the Littlehampton and Rustington services at this centre.

It was a pleasure to chat with users of this brilliant service and see the wonderful facilities provided and learn of the support that is given to many clients and careers within the area.

With plenty of stalls from tombolas to cream teas accompanied by a live jazz band, this garden party was clearly enjoyed by all that attended.

For further information visit their website – www.ageukwestsussex.org.uk

With the weather still being kind, Saturday saw me join Hampton the Hedgehog to jointly open the Edwin James Festival Choir’s Summer Fair at the United Reform Church, Littlehampton.

There were plenty of customer’s queuing to grab a bargain from the array of bric-a-brac, plant, jewellery or jam stalls, along with the usual array of tombola’s and raffles, not forgetting of course a good old cake sale complimented with a cup of tea.

The members work hard throughout the year to raise funds in order to put on several concerts and shows to raise money for many local charities and good causes, and regularly attend the town’s events.

The choir is always keen to recruit new members and its next concert will be performing the brilliant songs of ABBA, The Beatles and The Carpenters on July 8 at St James the Great Church, Littlehampton.

For further information on the choir and its events please call Chris Allen 01243 582330 or visit their website – www.edwinjamesfestivalchoir.co.uk

Following this event I took the opportunity to stroll through the town centre to enjoy the bustling Artisan Market and the varied stalls it has to offer.

It was a pleasure to speak to one or two of the stall holders and I look forward to formerly meeting more of them when I attend an official visit with them at their next market on Saturday, July 1.

After such a pleasant day, it was with great sadness that I, like many of you, learnt of the horrific events in London so soon after the Manchester incident.

Once again my thoughts go out to anyone affected by these tragedies.

True British spirit was very much demonstrated by the fabulous scenes at Manchester’s One Love concert, broadcasted live on Sunday evening, in that life must still go on, we must remain strong and that we, as a nation, shall not be beaten.

On Sunday I had the pleasure of joining a former mayor of Littlehampton and Arun councillor Emma Neno at her fundraising event in aid of CancerWise, being held at The Sportsman Sports and Social Club in St Floras Road.

The summer fair offered a full day’s entertainment for all the family, featuring the Outlaw Allstars cheerleaders, The Wonder Girls, Rockabubz and various live bands and singers as well as a selection of stalls, side shows and fair rides.

One of the big attractions being a giant inflatable Velcro dartboard with footballs replacing the darts.

Members of Littlehampton RUFC were also on hand displaying their rugby skills and were recruiting new members – anybody interested in joining them can find out further details on www.littlehamptonrugby.co.uk

By the large crowds that this event drew I hope this was a great success and raised a good sum for this worthy cause and well done to all involved.

I rounded off my week by taking a short walk across the sports field to visit the members of the Littlehampton Croquet Club to celebrate National Croquet Day and help them raise funds for Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice.

I was encouraged to join members for a round of croquet on one of their five pitches before indulging in a delicious cream tea laid on by the members in their club house.

As anyone who knows me will tell you, sport is not my natural forte, however I can honestly say with tuition and guidance from its enthusiastic members I found it particularly enjoyable and a sport I could easily return to in the future.

The club is always looking for new members and has a wide age and ability range and would be keen to hear from anyone interested in joining them.

For further details visit their website – www.littlecroquet.co.uk

I look forward to supporting the Littlehampton club teams at their next tournament.

If you would like me to attend an event or visit your club or organisation, I would be delighted to hear from you and can be contacted through the mayor’s office on 01903 732063.

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