MORE THAN 60 people turned out to the Town Council Chamber, Victoria Square, on Monday to finalise a date for the Charter Day celebration and moot ideas for it.
The date chosen was August 1, 2015, which will be exactly 800 years after the initial sealing of the original Droitwich Town Charter.
Suggested ideas included starting the event in the morning with a re-enactment of King John bringing the Charter to Droitwich. That would be done with the Pamela May (dressed to look like ‘a Royal Barge’).
It would moor up opposite Waitrose.
‘King John’ would then hand the Charter to Chief Burgess – played by Mayor Bob Brookes – in Vines Park.
A parade to St Richards statue could then be done where a plaque would be unveiled to mark the event.
And there could also be a parade to St Andrew’s Church – symbolic as it was the only notable building to survive the fire of 1290.
There, a rousing speech would be given about the Charter and how it would change Wich’s fortunes.
Although, it was suggested maybe the plaque could be at St Andrew’s Church instead of the statue.
Following that, it was mooted the procession would head to the Norbury Theatre for a play about the next 500 years, which would be staged by local children.
And then, in the afternoon, there would be charter art exhibitions by schools in St Andrew’s Church and Droitwich Baptist Church, VIPs would visit some of the Spa’s very old buildings and then travel to meet the artists and see the pieces submitted for the art exhibition in Victoria Square.
Coun Brookes, who chaired the meeting, then suggested a medieval banquet in the evening and it was also mooted that commemorative items could be created to sell on the day for local good causes and groups.
But, Coun Brookes added, what was suggested for the day was just that and more ideas would be welcomed and considered from residents, groups and organisations.
It was also decided to set up a Community Interest Company (CIC) to organise the event.
A CIC would be in a better position to apply for funding for activities and also, making it a non-political group would avoid any problems or changes which came about because of May’s elections.
An appeal was also made for volunteers to come forward, help organise the day and run the events.
Coun Brookes praised those who went along and said: “I’m always overwhelmed by the number of people who come out on a cold night like this and volunteer to do things for the town.”
E-mail [email protected] for more information or to find out about volunteering.
