annual report 2023-2024
Building a better community together
july 2024
Welcome to our new Mayor Well wishes and thanks from former Mayor Congratulations to Mike for becoming the new Mayor. I feel sure he will have as interesting and enjoyable year as I have had!
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annual report 2024
I am delighted to be Oswestry’s Mayor for the forthcoming year, a privilege few get to experience, and I have been looking forward to it for a long time. I follow Cllr Olly Rose who has represented the people of Oswestry with dignity and practicality, literally getting her hands dirty with Oswestry In Bloom and contributing enormously to the victory in the national awards last year – we won Gold! My family moved to Oswestry when I was eight years old, and I have been a proud Oswestrian ever since. I love the town’s rich heritage, its position as a border town, the long tradition of its street and indoor markets, and the modern blend of Oswestry folk with our newer residents – from around the UK and well beyond – who have all enriched our local culture and community. This is another Oswestry trait: community. We care about each other. Until recently, my wife and I ran Shlurp on Church Street, but I am now pursuing a new career in teaching because another of my passions is helping young people get the best start in life. My hope for my Mayoral year is that I can contribute to the evolving community I will be representing, through championing and raising money for the many groups and individuals who volunteer so much time and energy to making life better for others. I want to promote Oswestry to the wider world as the amazing place we are lucky enough to call home and most of all, I hope to meet as many of you as possible along the way, so please say hello if you see me out and about.
I have been proud to champion volunteers and volunteering during my term, and to have celebrated them and their achievements at the end of my term. Whilst handing out trees in the market and attending events, I’ve met a lot of visitors and I’ve been surprised at the number who come to the town and universally they love it. They come for our events, they come because they think it’s pretty, they love Cae Glas Park, and they use our independent traders. I therefore finish my year feeling optimistic about Oswestry’s future and proud of its achievements. We have great assets here, with the many people giving their time voluntarily to develop the community being perhaps the greatest asset. Thank you so much to all the lovely people I’ve met.