Councillor Winter’s monthly update October 2022
It has been my great honour to represent our town following the sad passing of our much beloved Queen Elizabeth II, falling as it has during my time as mayor. The Queen has long been a figurehead in our society and there can be few who remember a time without her at the helm.
Long-held plans were put into action at the Memorial Hall and across all our social media, as is the way these days. Books of Condolence were ready for the public to convey their thoughts and feelings by the following morning and many members of the public came to write in them. I would like to express my thanks to staff and councillors who held vigil over the hall allowing it to be accessible for this purpose, all day, every day.
It was with a heavy heart that I admired the floral tributes left at the Queen’s Statue. It was indeed a majestic display and further enhanced by some spectacular skies. Thank you to all who visited and laid flowers.
With both sorrow at the loss of the Queen, and pride at the accession of a new monarch, I attended the county Proclamation of King Charles III in Ipswich alongside other Suffolk mayors and dignitaries. I then returned to Newmarket to deliver the local Proclamation at the Memorial Hall, alongside Kirsten Rausing, Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk. It was wonderful to share the occasion with so many of you.
Looking forward to a happier time, no doubt there will be a coronation for the King in the coming months. I expect to share news with you about how we, as a town, can come together to celebrate this historic event.
In the meantime, it is my pleasure to share the first plans for our winter event in December. We will be hosting a synthetic ice rink in the Memorial Gardens for a whole weekend – all will be revealed later.
Lastly, a date for your diary – the Remembrance Day service will take place at Tattersalls on Sunday 13th November.