Christmas greetings from the Mayor

A Christmas message from the Mayor of Tunbridge Wells Councillor Hugh Patterson

It has been a great honour to have been chosen by my fellow councillors to serve as Mayor of Tunbridge Wells for 2023-4. Since I took office at the end of May the biggest highlight was to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS with a visit to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury alongside the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, and then being able to award the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust the Freedom of the Borough of Tunbridge Wells, at the Council meeting later the same evening.

In the last six months I have visited many of the communities in the Borough and witnessed or taken part in a wide range of events. In the spring and summer opening fetes (Capel and Paddock Wood where the drive in a 1927 Citroen sticks in the mind), attending garden parties (dodging the showers at the Civic Society), sporting events (awarding finishers’ medals at the Hawkhurst 10K on what was one of the hottest days of the year) and school prize days (Skinners' Kent Academy, Kent College and Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School).

Autumn brought lunches and dinners – too numerous to mention as my waistline will testify – and being a ‘Bake Off’ judge at the invitation of Cripps in aid of Demelza. In short, a wide range of activities as you could care to imagine. The Mayoress and I have also attended fund raising activities for other mayors across the county as they seek support for their own charities.

My charities for this year are Paddock Wood Community Advice Centre, a volunteer group providing free legal and housing advice across West Kent, and MTW NHS Trust Hospital Charity. If you feel able to donate to either of these it would be much appreciated. A Mayor’s Charity Bowls Tournament in July and a clay shoot in October helped raise funds for them. I am looking forward to the Civic Dinner in April, the main fundraising event of the year to which civic dignitaries from across the county will also be invited.

The Mayoress and I would like to wish all our residents across the Borough an enjoyable Christmas with those you love, and a Prosperous and Happy New Year.

Hugh Patterson

More information about Paddock Wood Community Advice Centre.
More information about MTW NHS Trust Hospital Charity.