Civic Leaders Come to Cheadle
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Cheadle recently welcomed civic leaders and invited guests to celebrate their dedication to serving the town and its residents.
St. Giles the Abbot, the Church on the Hill, hosted the ceremony, with Wellspring Methodist Church hosting the visitor reception. Guests were encouraged to enjoy a short walk across the town to see the art exhibition dotted around the shops as part of this month's Cheadle Arts Festival.
Contributors included a reading by Julie Hassall, Methodist Minister from Wellspring, from Romans 12:3-21, an autumn song by Bishop Rawle C.E. Primary School Choir, a reading from Proverbs 1:1-7 by Salvation Army Captain Hannah Carr, and the dedication & commitment led by Rev. Garry Higgs, Interim Minister / Interim Priest-in-Charge at St. Giles.
In his address, Garry likened the work that the town council does to the work that churches and other community groups do and the importance of the community working together.
Mayor Routledge, in his address, said how pleased he was to be elected mayor for the third time and how delighted he was to see people attending, especially the Bishop Rawle school choir and their families. He spoke of how blessed he has been to serve the town for the past eleven years and his hope to serve for many years to come.
Hymns included: And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time, I'll Go in the Strength of the Lord & I Vow to Thee, My Country accompanied by the Salvation Army Brass Band.
Deputy Mayor Jase Jervis, a local farmer, told our reporter how he had unfortunately missed the start of the ceremony, receiving a call only minutes before the procession from his neighbour to say that about eight of his cows were making their way up the road. He quickly dashed home to return the wanderers to their rightful place and was back in time for the main part of the ceremony. We wondered if they just wanted to join him in celebrating!
A visiting mayor explained the significance of area leaders visiting each other. This mutual support allows them to learn from one another and return home with new ideas too.
The civic reception was very welcoming, with visitors getting an opportunity to chat over a beautiful tea provided by local caterer Ian Barlow. It was wonderful to see the plans for the development at Wellspring which includes a new function room and coffee bar.
Civic Leaders Come to Cheadle
