Canal Festival

The 5th Canal Festival took place on Saturday 28th, just before a charity BBQ I attended for The Mayor of Dunstable making Saturday a very full day.

It was good to see a lot of familiar faces from the town and also some new ones. Tiddenfoot pit is a big site and I ended up walking around it many times with the Police, St John, Air Cadets and others who were supporting the event.

A walk along the canal showed me some wonderful craft businesses operating and also some boat owners simply relaxing enjoying the canal. I handed out some flyers about boat crime prevention too so let's hope everyone keeps their boats secure.

The Lions Club and Young Farmers provided a lot of really nice food to keep us all going as we visited lots of fun and interesting stands.

This is a great event and if you did miss it this year, keep your eyes open ready for next year’s event.

First prize in the festival raffle - the winner of a hand carved wooden wishing seat by Dick Tilley of Spirits of Wood - was light pink ticket number 175 which was bought by Colin. The prize has yet to be claimed and the person with the winning ticket should contact the Town Council on 01525 631 920 to claim it.

Spaghetti Wrestling £200

Thanks to everyone who supported the spaghetti wrestling event, we raised just over £200 for my charities.

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Titisee-Neustadt

Last week I spent 5 days in Titisee-Neustadt in the Black Forest, Germany which is one of the 2 towns we are twinned with. The other is Coulommiers in France.

Their political system is very different with the local Mayor ("Burgermeister") being an elected but paid role more like a Chief Executive, overseeing huge budgets but being very accountable and local.

Also there were the Grand Union Rapper from Leighton Linslade performing their dance to large crowds in the Tourist town of Titisee.

I will let you know when our German twin residents come over here as I know the Twinning forum will be putting on some events for them.

Greener Taxis in the town

Well not just yet but they could be on their way...

I have been talking to licensing officers at SBDC about the possible benefits of licensed taxis using either greener fuels, hybrid engines and otherwise being less polluting than they are now.

It is early days and we are just starting to look at the implications and ways to encourage the use of greener vehicles. Then we will look at what other councils have done but this will take a while.

Spaghetti Wrestling

Here's an event for your diary, July 29th, 12pm at The Sun Pub on Lake Street.

We have SPAGHETTI WRESTLING, I realise spaghetti wrestling is not a traditional Mayor's event but I like to think when I was elected, people were supporting someone a little different and so this should come as no surprise!

This event is a fun, family event organised to raise money for my charities.

Turn up on the day to watch or even take part and it will all make sense. Yes it may be messy but it should also raise lots of money and be a good afternoon out.

Twenty Years of Rainbows

Girl Guiding South Bedfordshire is one of my charities this year and I was invited to the Rainbow's Section 20th birthday party today. The only problem was the theme was Disney and I had to dress up!

So this is my attempt at fancy dress (I am meant to be Mickey Mouse).

Visit the Bedfordshire Guides website

Also in the past 2 weeks, I have listened to a choir from Coulommiers (our French Twin Town) at Gilbert Inglefield Middle School and seen the musical Grease performed by students from Brooklands Middle School. Both events were excellent.

Honorary Burgess

Tonight at an event I hosted, Past Mayor Cllr Mark Freeman presented a new award to two people who have done a lot for the community in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade over the past 30 or so years.

Reverend Peter Lymbery and Roy Gibbons were both presented with an Honorary Burgess award and their names will be displayed on a new display in The White House on Hockliffe Street.