Agenda item

The Worshipful the Mayor thanked Ms Ajantha Tennakoon of the Buddhist Faith for her words and prayer.

The Worshipful the Mayor thanked Rabbi Overlander for leading the lighting of the Hanukkah lights ceremony, which had taken place outside the Town Hall immediately before the meeting.

The Worshipful the Mayor wished everyone a Happy Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year.

The Worshipful the Mayor outlined that he recently wrote to Buckingham Palace on behalf of the Council to congratulate HM the Queen and His Majesty the Duke of Edinburgh on their 70^th wedding anniversary.   He noted the response from David Ryan, Director of Private Secretaries Office which he read as follows:

“The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to thank you and all concerned for your kind message of congratulations on the occasion of their 70^th Wedding Anniversary.   Her Majesty and his Royal Highness much appreciated your thoughtfulness in writing as you did and, in return, send their warm good wishes to you all”

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that he had also written to the Palace to extend the Council’s warm congratulations on the occasion of the engagement of HRH Prince Harry to his fiancée Meghan Markle, he stated that he had received a letter of thanks.

The Worshipful the Mayor announced that  the Barnet Multi-Faith Forum recently received a Certificate of Recognition for Services to and for faith and belief communities in Greater London from the 3 Faith Forum’s Evening of Faith Recognition and Celebration.     He stated that this was an event celebrating Unsung Heroes of London, supported by Her Majesty’s Lord – Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council of Faith, held at the Royal Society of Medicine.

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that this Celebration Barnet achieved: Unity in the Community our Festival of Faiths, which was held in May last year.  He stated that there were also the following Award Winners from Barnet:-  Community Focus (Creating Interfaith Spaces); Alyth (Reform Synagogue) Refugee Drop In; and the Larches Community (Improving Health and Wellbeing).  

The Worshipful the Mayor also congratulated the Chandos Arms in Colindale for winning theCommunity Pub of the year award in theGreat British Pub Awards for 2017.

The Worshipful the Mayor on behalf of all Members of the Council thanked all Council staff who worked so hard to ensure that the Council’s roads and pavements were kept as clear as possible of the recent snow and ice. 

The Worshipful the Mayor reminded all Members of the Council of Holocaust Memorial Day which is due to take place on Sunday 28 January 2018 at the Ricketts Quadrangle, Middlesex University, The Burroughs Hendon, NW4 4BT.

The Worshipful the Mayor announced with great sadness that Canon Louis Thomas died peacefully on Monday at Nazareth House, at the age of 100. Canon Louis Thomas had celebrated 70 years of priesthood in 2013.   He stated that his first parish was at St Agnes, Cricklewood, and he was also previously the priest at Burnt Oak, at Holy Redeemer, Chelsea, St Mary’s, Chelsea, St Mary Moorfields, St Mary and St Joseph’s in Poplar, and then St Philip the Apostle’s in Finchley Church End, where he was the parish priest for 29 years until retiring in 1993.