Lord Mayor's Column - 9th October 2019

The Summer Reading Challenge takes place every year during the summer holidays. It encourages children and young people to visit one of Swansea’s public libraries on at least three occasions and read a prescribed number of books suitable to their age range.

As 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the moon landings, it is apt that there was a space theme to the challenge this year. I will be awarding certificates to the young people who successfully completed the challenge at a special ceremony at the National Waterfront Museum on Wednesday.

I will then be hosting the Village Voices choir at the Mansion House as part of the Swansea 50 celebrations.

On Thursday I will be hosting a fundraising coffee morning at the Mansion House for CRISIS – one of my Lord Mayors charities this year. Based at the YMCA in Swansea, CRISIS do excellent work helping people directly out of homelessness.

Later that day, I will be in Swansea University for their International Welcome Dinner. The evening aims to provide a warm Welsh welcome to students from around the world who have chosen to study here and includes a traditional Welsh Twmpath.

The Rotary always contribute generously to the Lord Mayors charity and it is an honour to be asked to formally open their Southern Wales District conference at the Marriott Hotel on Friday.

The city’s 50th anniversary celebrations continue with a reception for St. John’s Ambulance Volunteers at the Mansion House on Saturday.

Finally, on Sunday I will be joining the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, Councillor Scott Jones at his civic service and reception at St. John’s Church in Glyncorrwg and Croeserw Social Club.

The civic heads in South West Wales often support each other at important ceremonies, including investitures, and at each other’s civic services.