BORN and bred Droitwich Monner Coun Shaun Best was voted in as the new town mayor last night (Monday).
Coun Best was nominated by Coun Richard Morris who said Coun Best would be the first person to become mayor having been born in the town since Anne Taft.
Coun Morris said it was clear Coun Best cared and was passionate about Droitwich, speaking highly of Coun Best’s musical talents which had been fantastically showcased during performances during Sunday church services and in the way he led local choirs.
That was illustrated later in the evening with a performance from the Martin Hussingtree-based Choir, led by Coun Best.
Coun Morris concluded by saying the new mayor would be ably supported by his wife Helen at his side.
The nomination was seconded by Coun Tom Noyes who also nominated Coun Christine Bowden as deputy mayor, supported by her husband Eric.
Coun Noyes said: “Christine has run the stroke club for 15 years, putting her talents as a retired nurse to good use.
“It was at that stroke club I first met Christine and I was so inspired I volunteered to help out and have been doing so ever since.”
The nomination was seconded by Jan Bolton.
After being elected mayor, Coun Best described the role as an ‘enormous honour’ and spoke about growing up in Droitwich.
He also revealed his two chosen charities for his year in office – the Droitwich Challengers Gateway Club and St Richard’s Hospice.
Despite many Challengers Clubs being started across the county in towns, including Evesham, Bromsgrove, Redditch and the city of Worcester, the Droitwich one is the only one remaining. The organisation helps adults with learning difficulties and consistently has 22 people attending the weekly meetings every Wednesday at Amphlett House.
Coun Best said St Richard’s Hospice had come so far since it was started in 1984 in the front room of a house and now helped 2,500 people-a-year with life-limiting illness and without charging a penny for its services.
Coun Best praised Coun Bob Brookes’ tenacity for the resurgence of the brine, along with the Brine Heritage Group, Patrick Davis and Michael Davies, speaking highly of potential of the project and the product which had been part of the town’s heritage since Roman times.
He praised Droitwich Spa Rugby Club for its unbeaten league season and Twickenham appearance and Droitwich Spa FC for finishing the season as champions – ‘the first time the club had won a league in more than 20 years’.
He said he had already started planning events to raise funds for his chosen charities and concluded by saying: “I will do my ‘best’ – no pun intended.
“I was born here, I was raised here and I want to be accessible and approachable – I want people to come up and talk to me.”
Anyone wanting Coun Best to attend an event can email him at [email protected] or call him on 07926 488768.
Tributes were also paid to Coun Roy Murphy for his successful year in office where, as well as carrying out all the usual town council business and meetings, he also attended numerous events in his role.
Coun Angela Hawkins said: “He has worked extremely hard and I think the main thing that came across is how much he has enjoyed being mayor for our town.”
In his departing speech, Coun Murphy said: “It has been a great honour to wear the chain of office and to represent our town, not only within Droitwich but also to public functions in neighbouring towns.”
He said he was impressed and humbled by the unpaid devotion so many people were contributing in their own time and expertise.
He praised the ‘strong’ volunteering which supported young people in sporting clubs, the Young Firefighters Association, the Hereford and Worcester Cadet Force, Girl Guides, Scouts and Boys Brigade.
And he highlighted the exciting exchange programmes with Droitwich’s twinned towns – Voiron in France and Bad Ems in Germany.
He thanked town clerk Pam Craney and assistants Mark Keld and Jane Greenfield for all their help – sentiments echoed by incoming mayor who said they ‘kept the town ticking over’.
Coun Murphy concluded by speaking about the excitement in the town surrounding the resurgence of the Droitwich brine.
