A visit from the Mayor of Durham

See the County Council website on the Charter Trust and Mayor of Durham.

Following a long-established tradition, one of the new Mayor's first engagements is to visit our Club. And this year, it was indeed his first official engagement as the "Mayor-Making" ceremony was held just yesterday - see the report in the Northern Echo.

The Mayor and his Consort, with one of his body-guards, our own Alan Ribchester,
are welcomed by President Fari.

In his address to the Club, the Mayor, Councillor Eddie Bell, reiterated his comments from yesterday’s ceremony, saying that he was honoured and privileged to be chosen as Mayor and would continue to foster his office’s "longstanding links with the city’s charities businesses and voluntary organisations”. He told us that many of his years in the police force had been spent in Durham city, so he was well aware of the work of Rotary. He then announced that his chosen charity for his year as Mayor is to be Veterans at Ease explaining that he had not been able to make this announcement yesterday for reasons of protocol. So you heard it here first! 

Addressing the Club, the Mayor announced his choice of charity for the year.

The Mayor in conversation with President Fari.

Veterans at Ease is a local charity founded in 2010 and its founder, Gareth Murrell, has just received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. See the Veterans at Ease website for more information.
As the Mayor’s Charity we will be supporting it at our annual Swimathon in November. 

By the way, it's worth noting that Gareth Murrell is also a Rotarian - a member of the Durham Bede Club.