Nuneaton and Bedworth Events Coordinating Group present Warwickshire Lord Lieutenant with a gift for The Queen.
The Town Hall at Nuneaton was the venue for a very special event on Saturday 1st October 2016, when members of the community gathered to present the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Mr Tim Cox, with a specially framed collection of photographs with the inscription…
“Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday Celebrations Held On The 10th June 2016.
Event Attended By Local Dignitaries, Community Organisation Representatives, Members Of The Public & Schoolchildren Of Nuneaton And Bedworth”.
The frame and photographs will be conveyed to Buckingham Palace by the Lord Lieutenant.
This event was planned by an organising committee from the local community, whose idea was to build upon the successful Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations which took place on the steps of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Town Hall on Coton Road at 11.00am on 10th of June, earlier this year, by making a gift of photographs of the event to the Queen.
A large picture frame, 3 feet x 4 feet, containing a collage of 29 different photographs taken at the event, was formally presented to the Lord Lieutenant in the Chamber of the Town Hall.
Over 90 guests were present in the Chamber, including many members of the communities of Nuneaton and Bedworth who attended the Birthday celebrations themselves. They represented a good mix of diverse communities of the borough including young people with Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Nepalese, Polish and Sikh connections.
The Worshipful, The Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth Councillor Jill Sheppard formally welcomed everyone to the event.
Barakah-Tabassum Pathan of Nuneaton Muslim Women’s Group provided a reflection of diversity followed by an opening address given by Mr Osman Sheikh Chairman of KESWA Charity.
Speeches were made by the Rt Hon Marcus Jones MP Minister for Communities and Local Government, Cllr Izzie Seccombe Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Councillor Bob Hicks Chairman of Warwickshire County Council, Mike Slemensek Localities and Partnerships Officer based at the Nuneaton Town Hall, Dr Abdullah Shehu Chairman of Muslim Communities Forum, Kash Singh Chief Executive of One Britain One Nation, Richard Samuda High Sheriff of Warwickshire and Tim Cox Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. Rev Helga, Om Gurrung OBE, Rev Ricarda & Imam Abbas from George Eliot Hospital Chaplaincy provided a religious input.
The event attracted a wide and diverse audience from the public of Nuneaton and Bedworth and many representatives from third sector organisations, community groups and statutory authorities.
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council’s Localities and Partnerships Team supported the planning and staging of the event, working with the event organisers.
Warwickshire County Council also provided funding for the printing of the college and part funded refreshments for the invited guests.
Whilst presenting the vote of thanks on behalf of the Events Coordinating Group Mr Saeed Sheikh also commented on the unique networking opportunities this event had generated.
The Worshipful, The Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth Cllr Jill Sheppard said “I would like to thank the organisers for arranging such a successful event at the Town Hall. It was a very enjoyable event and it was lovely to see different communities of the borough coming together”.
Tim Cox Warwickshire Lord Lieutenant gave a speech in which he thanked the members of the community for their show of affection for the Queen and the way they celebrated her birthday ‘In style’. He said “Clearly this event was celebrated as an opportunity for the people of Nuneaton and Bedworth to unite and show their affection for Her Majesty the Queen. I would like to thank and congratulate the organisers, and I know that Mr Osman Sheikh, Mr Saeed Sheikh and Mrs Abeda Vorajee were the lead organisers and inspiration for the event”. Mr Cox thanked all the speakers and said a special thanks to Barakah-Tabassum Pathan for reading out her reflections to the audience. He went on to say “After listening to the speeches I am left feeling that community engagement between local authorities and community groups is moving forward positively. There is everything to be gained from our continuing engagement with local communities, be it individuals, groups and organisations – so that everyone’s abilities, skills, knowledge, life experiences – can contribute to a better quality of life for people living, working or visiting Warwickshire”.
