A Civic Service was held to mark the civic duties of the Isle of Wight Council on Sunday (30 April).
It was the Island’s 1st Civic Service to be held for 3 years due to the pandemic, after previously being postponed in September 2022 due to the death of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Due to the current closure of Newport Minster for internal reordering, the service was held for the first time at St Andrew’s Church in Chale.
Prior to the service, the chairman of the council, Councillor Claire Critchison, was joined by dignitaries to take part in the procession led by Sven Tester, the churchwardens. It was decided not to take the mace out of Newport but the mace bearer was invited as a guest to thank him for his service.
The service was taken by Rev Roger Whatley who led prayers and hymns for a congregation including the chairman of the council and councillors along with Vice Lord Lieutenant Brigadier Maurice Sheen, High Sheriff Dawn Haig-Thomas, Mayor of Fareham, Mayor of Eastleigh, Island town mayors, the Isle of Wight Youth Council and members of the community.
Also present were representatives of South Wight Area Youth (SWAY), the chairman’s charity for the year and a collection was made for the charity.
The 1st reading was read by Councillor Debbie Andre, the 2nd by Isabel Thorp.
Councillor Critchison said:
“I would like to thank Rev Whatley for leading the service which offered prayer and guidance for the Isle of Wight Council as it carries out its duty to our Island residents.
“Also thank you so much to all those who attended, the wonderful church team, bell ringers, choir and everyone involved in organising this service.
“It was a really lovely afternoon to celebrate all that we do as councillors and my year as chairperson and in my local ward.”
All followed by a nice fat lunch no doubt at our expense.
That reminds me. I must watch Addams Family Reunion again.
Probably better to pray for us poor folk who have to tolerate this lot !!!…
Thanking theirselves more like it !!!!
Read it twice and still don’t know what it was about. A civic service to celebrate civic service.
A load of freeloaders having a p*ss up on expenses.
more time wasters free lunch free drinks then drive home
Another jolly on expenses .. to benefit nobody but themselves…pity nothing ever changes ..
If we didn’t have a Council we wouldn’t need a Civic Service and we would all be better off.
That looks like a lot of fun. I always enjoy a free lunch with some good chums at the taxpayers expense.
I heard the bells as I drove by , thought they were there for a funeral as they looked the part.
In other words just a load of b’ums claiming free lunches.
Looks more like a retirement re-union
I thought Barbeque Bob might have been there
he loves a freebie.