Chelmsford City Council Is Helping You Through This Crisis – and Will Continue to Do So
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SUMMER 2020 / ISSUE 88 News and views from Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers CITY www.chelmsford.gov.uk Chelmsfordlife Local Our Chelmsford, Photography Plan formally Our Plan competition adopted Page 6 Page 9 Page 4 Chelmsford City Council is helping you through this crisis – and will continue to do so Over the last few months staff from the Council’s leisure centres, Just some of the theatres, parking services and Leisure and CVS staff who have switched Hylands Estate have all been roles to support doing different jobs - working with vulnerable people Chelmsford CVS on the Chelmsford in Chelmsford Community Response Hub. The hub is a part of a countywide operation to help vulnerable people who are self-isolating and in need of assistance; anything from requests for essential supplies to a chat with someone on the phone to alleviate loneliness and boredom. The City Council and CVS staff have played a key part in this operation, putting their usual day jobs on hold to man the phones, do grocery shopping, pick up prescriptions, and even organise help for pets. New roles for City Council staff Ollie can usually be found at Riverside Leisure Centre working as an Aquatics Manager but during lockdown he has been transferred to the hub as a co-ordinator, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and vulnerable people who depend on this service get help. Will and Eleanor from the Riverside gym have also been moved to the Chelmsford hub while the leisure centres are closed. Will has been part of a team of drivers who go shopping for people who can’t get out themselves and although it’s a complete change to his normal work as a gym instructor, it’s been a rewarding experience. Gym instructor Eleanor has also embraced her new role and she says it feels good to make a difference to someone else’s life at such a difficult time. The team from Chelmsford CVS have also Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford found working on this essential service join staff at the Covid-19 Response Hub very satisfying. 2 | www.chelmsford.gov.uk Council News Welcoming Jude Deakin as new Mayor of Chelmsford The Mayor of Chelmsford for 2020 – 21 is Councillor Jude Deakin, and she will be supported by her daughter Helen as her Mayoress. They were elected on Wednesday 13 May at the first-ever virtual Full Council meeting. My year as Mayor: Jude lived in South Woodham Ferrers with Councillor Bob Massey her two daughters, Heather and Helen, before moving to Chelmsford in 2006. She previously Councillor Bob Massey was the worked in logistics, recruitment, office Mayor of Chelmsford in 2019-20. management and as a carer. The coronavirus situation complicated A member of South Woodham Ferrers Town matters and cancelled many Council for approximately 15 years, only leaving engagements, but I can honestly say that, when she moved to Chelmsford, Jude has from last May until the wheels fell off in represented Marconi Ward on Chelmsford March, I had ‘the best job in Chelmsford’. City Council since 2007. Since 2009, she has served on Essex County Council representing I helped the Duke of Kent open Riverside, Chelmsford West. Jude has served on various The Mayor’s Charities cut the ribbon on the revitalised Essex committees, and on the City Council and The Mayor’s theme for the year is ‘wellbeing’ Chelmsford Museum, danced around was Cabinet Member for Safer Chelmsford from and she has chosen three charities which work a maypole with forty other Mayors in May 2019 until this May. tirelessly towards that goal. They are Helping Guildhall Yard, rode in a police car, and Hands Essex (HHE), Mid and North Essex have been inside Chelmsford Prison, Jude has been a governor and PTA member MIND, and Sanctus. for six schools. She is currently a member of twice. It’s heartening that I made it to Chelmsford Community Radio, a trustee of my sixties before any of those last few Father Tom Page - The Mayor’s experiences and that they let me out of North Chelmsford Community Trust and a past Chaplain trustee of Helping Hands Essex. the prison! The Mayor has appointed Father Tom Page We've met many incredible people doing from the Church of the Ascension with All Deputy Mayor – Councillor Linda Mascot amazing things for the benefit of the Saints. The Mayor’s Chaplain will act during The Mayor appointed Councillor Linda Mascot community. It's sobering that our society her term of office to open all meetings of the to be her deputy who will be supported by her relies so heavily on the 'third sector' but husband, Ian, as her Consort. Council with prayers and officiate at various civic events. heartening that so many give their time Linda now lives in Tile Kiln with her husband freely to help others, particularly in these and the youngest of her six children. She was Civic Engagements challenging times. first elected to Chelmsford Borough Council Due to the government's advice on limiting the We've managed to raise £11,000 for in 2011 to represent Goat Hall Ward and has spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus), the Mayor Parkinson’s Essex. My thanks go to my contributed more than 28 years of community and/or Deputy Mayor at present are unable to charity committee for their support and involvement. attend physical engagements. However, if you considerable efforts during trying times. As Inclusion Manager at a local junior school, or someone you know has a special birthday or I've also been blessed this year by being Linda works closely with children who have anniversary coming up and would like to invite surrounded by a wonderful cohort of special educational needs, young carers and the Mayor to join you by video call, simply visit other vulnerable pupils, offering practical www.chelmsford.gov.uk/mayor and complete ladies. So, my sincere thanks to my and pastoral support to help them overcome the ‘Invite the Mayor’ form with details of your Mayoress, Janice Cheese; my Deputy barriers to their learning, including social and celebration. Subject to the Mayor’s availability, Mayor, Councillor Janette Potter; the emotional difficulties. she may be able to schedule a call with you. Deputy Mayoress' Consort, former Councillor Gillian Smith; the Reverend Carol Ball; and lastly the Civic Services VE Day 75 tank display Manager, Katherine Eley. Thanks also to the Macebearer and The 75th anniversary of VE Day is still principal driver, John Kempson, for being marked by commemorations around keeping us safe and secure, and always Chelmsford. The most prominent of these on time. And special thanks, on behalf of is on display in the centre flower bed of the the entire Mayoral party, to everybody multi-storey roundabout in the city centre - we’ve met this past year and for so many warm welcomes. two tanks made from willow. I chose ‘overcoming adversity’ to be the Jo Sylvester, Technical Officer in the Council's Parks and Green Spaces Team, approached local theme of my Mayoral year, little realising artist Deb Hart and together they came up with the idea of creating the tanks: a British Sherman then how much adversity we would all tank and a German Panzer tank. soon be facing. These are trying times, Deb would usually have support from the willow-weaving groups she teaches, but due to the but we will get through them together. COVID-19 crisis, she was now undertaking the mammoth task with limited help. Despite not having I’d like to finish by wishing my successor tried willow-weaving before, Jo offered up her assistance and joined Deb in her garden and an equally enjoyable and hopefully less attempted learning the craft. The willow was soaked for seven days prior to use and then steamed challenging year in office. to make it pliable enough to bend without snapping. Take care, stay safe, and take time to In the days leading up to VE Day, it was "all hands to the pump" to put the installation together be kind. which garnered a lot of interest from passers-by. Since the tanks have been in-situ, they've had a really positive response from residents. The display is hoped to stay in place until Armistice Day, so Bob Massey there is still time to admire it. www.chelmsford.gov.uk | 3 Council News Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services Mayor’s Award for Outstanding A record number of Essex voluntary groups receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Voluntary Services for 2020. Local volunteers received a Nine voluntary groups from across the county surprise on their doorsteps during who work in the community have been lockdown as awards, certificates and honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary commendations for Outstanding Services, the highest award a voluntary group Contribution to Volunteering in can receive in the UK. This matches the record 2019-20 were delivered to local number of nine winners in 2019 and is the people by staff at the Centre highest number awarded to any county. Supporting Voluntary Action on Of the nine groups, three are Chelmsford based: – offers an behalf of the Mayor of Chelmsford. • CHESS Homeless, Chelmsford Chelmsford Awards for Voluntary Service end-to-end solution to single homeless adults were formed six years ago by the Centre in Essex, through outreach, support services, and are supported by the Mayor to accommodation and pathways to training and recognise outstanding contribution in employment. volunteering. • City of Chelmsford Mencap – operates Paul Wilson The Winner of the Mayor’s Award for throughout mid-Essex providing a range Outstanding Voluntary Service 2019 in the of specialist services that directly benefit certificates, in Adult Category is Paul Wilson.