Mayor reflects on busy year for town and looks ahead to 2025 - Mayor’s Column in Town Crier Winter 2024 issue
Published: 09 December 2024
Mayor’s Column in Town Crier Winter 2024
On 23 September I was surprised and delighted when we received an email from Buckingham Palace. The message was sent on behalf of King Charles congratulating residents of the town on their efforts to secure and preserve the ancient woodland of Longsprings Wood as a Community Asset. As you will know, the King has been a lifelong advocate for preserving our natural environment; it was most gratifying to see the town’s extraordinary success in achieving its goal of buying the woods for future generations recognised in this way.
It has been a busy Autumn for me with many opportunities to enjoy a full calendar of community events and to see just how much goes on in Sevenoaks on a regular basis supported by an army of volunteers across the community. To mention just a few of these events, I have enjoyed a barbecue with the Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers and Oaks Blokes celebrating their 25th and 15th anniversaries respectively; I have been led blindfolded around town by a Guide Dog; I have enjoyed a very special evening with the D’Vine Singers also celebrating a 10th anniversary and I have joined the fun on Apple Day at Quaker’ s Hall Lane Allotments. We are so lucky in Sevenoaks to have committed individuals prepared to meet the varied needs of residents in the town.
On Saturday 12th October, Knole Park was host to around 120 horses and their riders engaged in a sponsored ride in support of Bradbourne Riding for the Disabled, one of the two charities I have chosen to support this year. Once again, this event would not have happened without the huge effort and support of volunteers in the community. It was a pleasure to walk the course and talk to both riders and volunteers including representatives from the air cadets. It was an added attraction on that day for visitors to Knole Park to see the riders there enjoying the opportunity to gallop along the valley.
This is an important year for the town as we look forward to future development over the next decade. The consultations on the Masterplan for the town and for the St. John’s area have provided an opportunity to have your voice heard and we look forward to the outcome of these in 2025. We also look forward to the implementation of further traffic calming measures in the town.
Meanwhile, the Sevenoaks calendar becomes even busier as we move towards Christmas celebrations with the turning on of the Christmas lights on 30th November, the Council’s Holly Party, and the Pantomime at the Stag.
Further afield it has been a pleasure to link up with our counterparts in Swanley and enjoy some joint activities. On 17th October Sevenoaks and Swanley jointly hosted a trip for visiting dignitaries along the length of the beautiful Darenth Valley to enjoy the Autumn colours. The starting point was Bat and Ball station, one of our splendid Heritage Assets with a visit to Swanley Park at the other end.
May I take this opportunity to wish you Seasons’s Greetings and to express thanks for the many invitations I have received to events in the community this year. Thanks also to the team at the town council who make all of this possible.
Cllr Libby Ancrum, Mayor of Sevenoaks