{"id":2887,"date":"2021-10-21T17:15:06","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T16:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/?p=2887"},"modified":"2021-10-21T17:48:49","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T16:48:49","slug":"ampthill-civic-service-sunday-17th-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/2021\/10\/21\/ampthill-civic-service-sunday-17th-october\/","title":{"rendered":"Ampthill Civic Service &#8211; Sunday 17th October &#8211; Thanksgiving for Good Neighbours"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2887\" class=\"elementor elementor-2887\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fe9b6c0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fe9b6c0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e721a9\" data-id=\"6e721a9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3dd6455 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3dd6455\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I attended Ampthill&#8217;s Civic Service as Mayor of the Town on Sunday 17th October at St. Andrew&#8217;s Church from 3pm. The Service was attended by the Lord Lieutenant, Helen Nellis, local Mayor&#8217;s and importantly members of the Town&#8217;s voluntary sector.<\/p><p>The theme of the Service was &#8216;Good Neighbours&#8217; and we gave thanks to all good neighbours in the Town that looked after those most in need during the darkest days of the pandemic.<\/p><p>I was also honoured to present 5 Roll&#8217;s of Honour to the following in recognition to their service to the Town:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Helen Armitage<\/strong> (Ampthill Community Safety Group, Feoffee Alms, Coroners&#8217; Court Support Service)<\/li><li><strong>Mariella Cook<\/strong> (Friends of Ampthill Great Park, Ampthill Festival, Russell Lower School Governor, Steering group member for Masquerade 40, VE75 &amp; VJ75)<\/li><li><strong>Philip Hines<\/strong> (Jigsaw Club, Ampthill Rotary Club, Ampthill Christmas Lights)<\/li><li><strong>Terry McGrath<\/strong> (Jigsaw Club)<\/li><li><strong>Janet Sexton<\/strong> (Jigsaw Club, Tibbs Dementia)<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0b97594 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0b97594\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ad522a2\" data-id=\"ad522a2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0dd2dd5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0dd2dd5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1116\" src=\"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/245648993_5025678784127548_781338209391415446_n-768x1116.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"Ampthill Mayor - Cllr Mark Smith - Civic Service\" srcset=\"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/245648993_5025678784127548_781338209391415446_n-768x1116.jpg 768w, http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/245648993_5025678784127548_781338209391415446_n-207x300.jpg 207w, http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/245648993_5025678784127548_781338209391415446_n-705x1024.jpg 705w, http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/245648993_5025678784127548_781338209391415446_n-1057x1536.jpg 1057w, http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/245648993_5025678784127548_781338209391415446_n.jpg 1387w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fbfb240 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fbfb240\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e8d2800\" data-id=\"e8d2800\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46c2d0a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"46c2d0a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As part of the service I gave the Mayor&#8217;s Address that praised the part Good Neighbours played during the pandemic. You can read my address below:<\/p><p>&#8220;<strong>May I firstly start by thanking the Lord Lieutenant, fellow Mayors, Councillors and representatives from the Town\u2019s many voluntary groups, for attending today\u2019s Civic Service. I would also like to thank the teams from St. Andrew\u2019s Church and Ampthill Town Council for arranging today\u2019s service, in particular Nicola Powell and Cllr Margaret Wilson. <\/strong><\/p><p><strong>In the first line of the hymn we sang earlier the question was asked, \u2018When I needed a neighbour, were you there, were you there?\u2019 Over the past 18 months I think you would agree that answer to that question was an emphatic \u2018Yes\u2019! Streets banded together to help each other with their WhatsApp groups. Ampthill &amp; Flitwick Good Neighbours and the Town\u2019s Churches came together to form Ampthill &amp; Flitwick Lifeline to provide a vital service to those in need in our communities, as they helped those many residents shielding with their shopping and prescription collection. <\/strong><\/p><p><strong>What the lockdowns have illustrated is the value of Good Neighbours. It was therefore an easy decision to make when asked what the theme should be for this year\u2019s Civic Service, as Thanksgiving for Good Neighbours seemed very appropriate after the past 18 months we have experienced. Little did I realise when I helped set up the Town\u2019s Good Neighbours Scheme, back when I was last Mayor during 2005\/6, that the scheme would provide such a vital lifeline to those most in need in the Town as we experienced the darkest days of the pandemic. <\/strong><\/p><p><strong>I also want to give thanks to others in our community for their tireless work on behalf of our Town, namely the emergency services, the doctors and nurses, Ampthill Town Council and Central Beds Council. Plus, special mention for Cheeseman\u2019s Pharmacy for their part in setting up our local vaccination centre at the Rufus Centre and especially their fantastic volunteers (of which my predecessor as Mayor, Ian Titman, was a regular volunteer). They guided us seamlessly through the process of getting our two injections and will no doubt be there for us, as we get out booster doses at their new base at Priory House, Chicksands over the coming months.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>I attended the Lord Lieutenant\u2019s Service of \u2018Thanksgiving, Remembrance and Hope\u2019 last Sunday and I hope Helen Nellis doesn\u2019t mind me quoting from the introduction from her Order of Service where it states \u2018We will look forward in hope and build on what we have learnt about the power of Neighbours and communities helping each other and the excellent partnerships that have been formed, which have had such a beneficial impact on how we help make things better\u2019. This really struck home with me, as it just shows that something beneficial can emerge from this dire period in our recent history. Let\u2019s hope and pray that this good neighbourliness continues post pandemic.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>I\u2019ve always felt strongly that the charities, voluntary and community groups based in our towns and villages are the glue that binds our communities together. I guess this comes from working in the voluntary sector over the past 20 years, most recently for the countywide charity Community Voluntary Service, that indeed hosts the Volunteer Centre for the area. Not only that, but I\u2019m proud to be Chair of Ampthill &amp; Flitwick Good Neighbours and a trustee of Respite at Home Volunteers \u2013 Mid Beds &amp; Ivel Valley and Citizens Advice \u2013 Mid Beds. On a daily basis I saw and heard of the extraordinary work of volunteers. Indeed, through work I was tasked with contacting residents across the county that were shielding and in need of provisions and prescriptions. I then connected them with their local good neighbours\u2019 schemes or the multitude mutual aid organisations created by community minded residents of that area, that sprung up in areas not covered by a good neighbour\u2019s scheme. So, I heard directly from those most affected and the gratitude in their voices was so evident as they found out that help was at hand. Good Neighbours Groups and the like, truly were the glue that bound our communities ever closer together during pandemic.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>It is so good to see representatives from many of the aforementioned groups present in the congregation today, as we give thanksgiving for their work on our behalf and indeed it will be my honour later to present 5 Rolls of Honour to individuals that have given their service to Ampthill through their volunteering over many years.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>So, I end by reiterating my praise and thanks the Town\u2019s volunteers, for giving their time and efforts so selflessly during possibly the most difficult period in Ampthill\u2019s history since the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> World War. <\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Again, thanks so much for attending today and participating in our service of Thanksgiving for Our Good Neighbours in Ampthill.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-27ff7f1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"27ff7f1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-35ecbea\" data-id=\"35ecbea\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e89969f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e89969f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"252\" height=\"274\" src=\"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/246382617_3736951886407246_929434647019023781_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Cllr Andy Snape, Cllr Gareth Mackey, Cllr Mark Smith\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-317fdf0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"317fdf0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ee7eb6e\" data-id=\"ee7eb6e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97f8689 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"97f8689\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If you wish to find out more about Ampthill &amp; Flitwick Good Neighbours or wish to volunteer for them, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.afgn.org.uk\">www.afgn.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I attended Ampthill&#8217;s Civic Service as Mayor of the Town on Sunday 17th October at St. Andrew&#8217;s Church from 3pm. The Service was attended by the Lord Lieutenant, Helen Nellis, local Mayor&#8217;s and importantly members of the Town&#8217;s voluntary sector. The theme of the Service was &#8216;Good Neighbours&#8217; and we gave thanks to all good &#8230; <a title=\"Ampthill Civic Service &#8211; Sunday 17th October &#8211; Thanksgiving for Good Neighbours\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/2021\/10\/21\/ampthill-civic-service-sunday-17th-october\/\" aria-label=\"More on Ampthill Civic Service &#8211; Sunday 17th October &#8211; Thanksgiving for Good Neighbours\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_generate-full-width-content":"","spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mayor-of-ampthill"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/246430766_5029265567102203_7690609794957352053_n.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2887","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2887"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2887\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2901,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2887\/revisions\/2901"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2887"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2887"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/marksmith.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2887"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}