Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s Mayor, Michael Clarke, has issued the following Christmas message to residents of the two towns…
“Christmas is upon us, and as we prepare to celebrate this special time of year I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas. I am already over half way through my Mayoral year, and the last seven months have flown by.
When I was appointed Mayor back in May I felt truly honoured to have the opportunity to hold this office and as the months have passed by, the honour I felt then has grown and grown. In my acceptance speech, I stated that I was looking forward to meeting as many as possible of the groups, clubs, organisations and societies that exist in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge, and to find out more about what they do.
Since May I have been privileged to attend many of them and as a result I have met so many wonderful people. The work that is carried out behind the scenes in our towns is truly remarkable, and a great credit to our communities and I wish them all well for the future and trust that they will continue with the outstanding work they do.
There is a great deal of uncertainty for many of us at present, the world we live in has changed much in recent times, and although Christmas is a time for celebration and happiness, we must bear in mind those less fortunate than ourselves, and extend our help and support wherever possible.
The downturn in the economy will no doubt have left some of our local businesses feeling gloomy, and it is at times like this that we should endeavour to keep trade local, and support our local traders whenever possible. They are part of our community, and their presence helps to make our towns thrive.
The youth of our towns deserve a special mention, all of the groups involving children and young people are been guided and encouraged by people that really care, and the results are amazing. Thank you to you all, you really do make a difference.
My thoughts are also with the Men and Women of our armed services, and for the families of those who are involved in conflict. As most of us are able to celebrate with our families, for those serving far from home the strain on both them, and their loved ones, must even more noticeable at Christmas.
To all of you that I have had the privilege of meeting this year a very big thank you for making myself and my wife Maria feel so very welcome. Every event that I have attended has seen a hand of friendship extended, and I feel very fortunate to have met so many wonderful people.
To all the people of Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge, God bless you and I wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.”
