MAYOR'S MOMENT: Wet Wednesday to sunny Sunday

This is a series of activities running from midday until 3pm every Wednesday in August, providing free entertainment and activities, including face-painting, circus skills, craft making, chalk-drawing, and much more. The session I attended gave the opportunity to enjoy decorating your own cupcakes and gingerbread men. For more information on further sessions call 01903 737856.

Following this I made my way to the Flintstone Centre in East Street where I had been invited to attend the National Citizens Service fun day. This government-funded organisation runs a four-week course during the summer holidays for ages 15 to 17 at a subsidised all-inclusive cost of £50 per person.

This included a week’s residential on the Isle of Wight staying in Bell Tents at Freshwater Bay, partaking in activities such as kayaking, coasteering, mounting boarding and rock climbing. There is also a week of life skills training facilitated at Chichester University and a further two weeks working on social actions, including events such as this fun day.

The organisation, which is promoted through local schools, gave me the opportunity to meet one of their young participants in the programme who enthusiastically encouraged people to take part in the future. At the end of the course there is a graduation process that takes place at Chichester Cathedral and graduates are encouraged to take part in future courses as mentors.

My next engagement of the week was to join the members of the 50 Up Club at the Project 82 site in Wick. This group is a social club that welcomes the more senior members of the community, however I didn’t feel out of place even though I was the youngest one there. Members could chat, relax and socialise over a cup of tea and biscuits, before it was eyes down for a few games of bingo. The group organises these events twice a week and would always welcome new members.

Certainly from my experience with them they may be seniors but they are all certainly young at heart and have a great sense of fun!

That evening I was joined by Jamie Bennett, the chairman of Rustington Parish Council to enjoy an evening at the Windmill Theatre for the Littlehampton Musical Comedy Society’s performance of Legally Blonde – The Musical! In the interests of honesty I will say now I am a little biased as I am personally involved with the society and my husband is its chairman.

That said the lively and energetic performance of this modern musical certainly proved a hit with the capacity houses which enjoyed the four-night run for what was the society’s 65th anniversary production. Audiences were impressed with how slick the production was and the quality of the 11-piece live band accompaniment.

Star of the show had to be Saxona Woolgar who played the lead of Elle Woods with natural character and gusto, and seemed to hardly leave the stage throughout the show. I look forward to their next production Dick Whittington, a traditional pantomime, in January.

My final engagement of the week was to formally open the 70th birthday celebration open day of Cuff Miller’ss garage in Horsham Road.

The fun day, featuring Spirit FM hosting their lunchtime radio show, a display of classic and performance cars, crafts and side stalls, free competitions and refreshments including a barbecue, all took place around their site and was well attended. This event was also raising funds for Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice, who also attended with its charity stall.

Hopefully having gone from one extreme to the other this week, summer has decided to return and will hopefully give people the opportunity to enjoy Screen on the Green this coming Saturday evening with The Goonies starting at 8.45pm!

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