In the spirit of liberty

How quickly is this year passing – I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe we’re almost in May already!

I really like this time of year as we have the promise of the summer months with longer and - fingers crossed - brighter days ahead and there is a lot happening over the next few weeks. You will all be very much aware that we are now just weeks away from the General Election on 7 May. We will have more than 350 polling stations across the county and around 1,500 staff working on the election and the overnight count to see which five MPs will be elected to represent Wiltshire. More than 350,000 people are eligible to vote in Wiltshire and it will be interesting to see how many turn out to vote. I would encourage that you all to vote and have your say on who will govern the country for the next five years.

Whatever the outcome we have lots to do - on the rise of the election we will be setting up at Five Rivers Leisure Centre for the second Cycle Wiltshire weekend on the 9 and 10 May.  All of us have the opportunity to cycle 20, 64 or 100 miles on some of the most scenic and picturesque Wiltshire routes and this year there is also a 1k route for families and youngsters and keen cyclists like me!

The sportive and elite race events last year were great and it wasn’t just about cycling – it was about a fun day out with lots of interesting stalls, exhibitors and entertainment outside of Five Rivers leisure centre and we had a day of watching the most elite cyclists race through Wilton at break neck speed past all the spectators gathered in the Market Place.

This year the sportive event will again start from Five Rivers on the Saturday and Wilton will host over 100 elite cyclists racing as teams on the Sunday. This year it’s the same weekend that the country is marking the 70^th anniversary of VE Day. It was on the 8 May 1945 that the then Prime Minister, Winston Churchill broadcast that the Second World War in Europe had ended and when a wave of optimism and celebration swept across the nation.

It was a time when communities came together to celebrate a new-found hope after so many years of heartbreak, as well as rejoicing in the successful liberation of Europe and overcoming the threat of loss of liberty to our country.

How fitting that 70 years on the theme of the Cycle Wiltshire sportive event, which will see hundreds of people of all ages taking part, will have a 1940s theme to mark this significant anniversary.  We can all enjoy the music and dance of this time, and have the opportunity to participate in swing dance lessons and enjoy a cream tea or two!
 
I think a scone with jam and cream is a just reward for getting on your bike – even if it’s for cycling 1K!

I’m sure it will be a great weekend and I’m really looking forward to kicking off the summer events calendar in Salisbury and Wilton. Along with many other spectators, I will be supporting the less experienced cyclists and the elite ones as they ride through the beautiful Wilton area – what a treat and the first of many coming up this summer.

I’ve written in recent blogs about the importance of Magna Carta to our modern day freedom of speech and I’m look forward to events in June to mark the 800^th anniversary of the signing of the landmark document. I will update more on this in my next blog, but in the meantime, remember that 800 years ago a benchmark for freedom was set and today we can still vote for the candidates that will shape our country and how we live – don’t waste this freedom.

Happy Easter

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Easter. This is always such a lovely time of the year – a welcome break when the days are longer and lighter and I’m sure that like me you will be looking forward to having a few days off to recharge and spend some time with family and friends.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for some warmer spring weather, especially following the high winds that we’ve had this week. Our highways team was out in force clearing around 40 trees off our roads – and that was just one night!
 

It’s thanks to this team that we keep people moving around the county and most importantly, keep them moving as safely as possible. Whilst I’m saying thank you, could I also say a huge well done to our adult care team for all their hard work that has resulted in us not keeping people in the three hospitals (RUH, GWH and Salisbury) for longer than is necessary. Their work to deliver the support and services that people need to help them recover in their own homes, has meant we currently have no one taking up a hospital bed when they are ready to be discharged.

This has been a huge national issue and one which has received a great deal of publicity. I am delighted that in Wiltshire we are clearly on top of this and providing the joined up care required.

And, I also want to mention all the teams and individuals who were involved in helping to make last week’s business and sports dinner such a success. My particular thanks go to the leisure and communication and events teams as we co-hosted, with the Wessex Chamber of Commerce, the second business and sports dinner in the Atrium.

I am really pleased to update that more than 230 business representatives helped to raise almost £30,000 for the Foundation Fund - set up following last year’s dinner - to support the next generation of Wiltshire’s Olympians and Paralympians. This money will provide grants for more local, elite athletes to assist with their training, attending competitions, equipment and transport to regional, national and international events.

The evening brought businesses and sports people together for mutual benefit and we were able to award grants of £1,000 to eleven Wiltshire athletes to help them on their journey to sports stardom…I’m looking forward to following them especially next year when some will represent the country at Rio.
 

Thankfully we don’t all have to be elite athletes to enjoy sport and activities. Perhaps the Easter break will provide an opportunity to get out and about and maybe start training for the cycle sportive – which is just over a month away (9/10 May) – or to go for a walk with friends or family in our wonderful countryside and burn off all the Easter eggs and hot cross buns...

Whatever you’re up to, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter, and can I just finally extend my thanks to all of you who are working, or on call, over the long weekend – it is very much appreciated.