The Ipswich Flyer August 2023
In the Ipswich August 2023 edition has an August update from the Mayor of Ipswich. And we also many local events happening in August in Ipswich and District. We also have the regular news from local community groups and charities.
News from The Ipswich Mayor August Update
It has been a busy time in the mayor’s diary over the last couple of months and there have been some amazing events, showing Ipswich at its very best.
Suffolk Day August Update
Suffolk Day was a highlight – even though the mayor was required to wear full regalia while standing in full sun on a hot day.
Suffolk’s Lord Lieutenant, Clare, Countess of Euston and the county’s High Sheriff, Mark Pendlington were also present outside the Town Hall as 4 Regiment Army Air Corps exercised their Freedom of the Borough by marching, bayonets fixed, colours flying, and drums beating, through the town to Cornhill.
It was a privilege to meet the Wattisham-based men and women whose precision and bearing were a credit to their regiment and to our armed forces.
The day – which falls on the summer solstice, ensuring the maximum hours of daylight – is celebrated across Suffolk and we were delighted to welcome town mayors – the furthest was from Lowestoft – and chairs of councils to Ipswich.
Suffolk Day was the brainchild of broadcaster Mark Murphy and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his pivotal role in creating a day when we can all celebrate this glorious county of ours.
It was a splendid occasion… although I may have melted a little!
Ipswich Events August
The following day, June 22, the town commemorated the 75th anniversary of Windrush. The arrival of men and women from the Caribbean was in response to the UK’s invitation to come here to help rebuild a war-torn Britain with its depleted workforce. The first ship to dock was the HMT Empire Windrush which brought a vital boost to the country’s economy when it needed it most and also brought us exceptional new talent. Over the years the Windrush generations have enhanced our culture and communities… and also our civic life, with three former mayors – Albert Grant, Hamill Clarke and Glen Chisholm, doing so much to support the town and to promote equality.
Inspire Suffolk’s Fun Day
I was especially pleased to be invited to go along to Inspire Suffolk’s Fun Day, earlier in the month.
The Lindbergh Road site is a great venue and there was so much to do and enjoy. Inspire, which supports young people, inspiring them to be active and gain in confidence, is one of my charities for the year and I would encourage everyone to check out the website (https://inspiresuffolk.org.uk) and see what’s happening over the summer and beyond.
With the long summer holiday coming up, I have been royally entertained by students at a number of schools… as well as getting the chance to attend my very first school prom, if only for a while. They didn’t have proms in Ipswich back in 1971!
I have also been impressed by the performance and visual art on show at Sidegate Primary and the work produced by Northgate High (my old school), inspired by Holocaust survivor Dora Love, and the words of the late Jo Cox, the MP killed in her constituency, who said in her maiden speech in the House of Commons that “we have more in common than that which divides us”. Her words remain a beacon of hope. Prizegivings at Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, and Ipswich School have also been end-of-school-year highlights.
I wish you all a great summer – why not take a picnic to an Ipswich park you haven’t been to for ages; visit Christchurch Mansion or paddle in the pool on Bourne Park (children only) – all free; all fun.
The Mayor, Ipswich