Mayor of Beverley's Christmas Message 2024

As the year draws to a close and Christmas is upon us, once again our thoughts are of friends and family, parties and presents, mistletoe and merriment. It is a time when we gather with loved ones to share in festivities, laughter and boardgames! But, as Winston Churchill said, “Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection”.

When I think back at the past months since becoming Mayor of Beverley in May, I have had the honour of meeting so many wonderful, caring and hard-working people. They don’t just do what is best for the community at Christmas time - they do this all year round.

Whether it is raising funds for other charities, organising activities for young people, helping those in need, or bringing sporting and cultural events to the people of our town, Beverley’s community spirit is thriving.

It has been a privilege to work closely with one local charity in particular - Cherry Tree Community Association, which is my Mayoral Charity. It performs a huge social function, providing free advice on a wide range of issues, from benefits advice and debt support, to employment issues and consumer matters.

It also runs an amazing pre-school, arranges activities for older residents and manages a vital community pantry, which supports those who are most in need. Their current big project is to raise funds for a purpose-built Youth Hub in Beverley, which will host their incredibly popular youth club. As many of us prepare for Christmas by buying and wrapping presents, stuffing the turkey and pouring the wine, I would also urge you, if you can, to support the work of Cherry Tree.

You might be able to make a donation, create a New Year resolution to volunteer with the organisation or support them in any other way you can - more details can be found here: https://www.ctca.org.uk/support-us/

I am proud to represent Beverley. We have some amazing historic buildings and wonderful natural areas, but what really makes this town special is its people. As Mayor, and on behalf of Beverley Town Council, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and Happy New Year. Councillor David Boynton, Mayor of Beverley