BEFORE Christmas, Mayoress Lynn and I attended numerous nativity plays, carol services and concerts.
We particularly enjoyed hearing Handel’s Messiah sung by the Worcester Festival Chorus in the cathedral and my own charity Christmas concert in the Guildhall sung by The Elgar Chorale.
It is a real privilege to celebrate the birth of Christ in these ways, but we do not forget our friends of other faiths.
We visited the Peace and Friendship Party at St Martin’s Church in London Road where Muslims, Christians and some with no faith shared a meal and enjoyed each other’s company.
We hosted the Guildhall’s first ever Mayor’s Christmas lunch for Worcester’s homeless and disadvantaged.
Most of these people face real hardship, not by choice but resulting from a wide variety of causes which could affect many others.
There will always be hungry, cold, lonely and homeless people here in Worcester and around the world as long as others take more than their fair share.
One Christmas lunch will not end this poverty but will, I hope, have spread some goodwill and shown that we care.
Lynn and hope that you all enjoy a wonderful Christmas with your families and friends and that 2017 will bring health and good fortune.
But please offer a hand of friendship to those who are less fortunate.
Coun Paul Denham
Mayor of Worcester
