Mayor's business from November's full Council Meeting
Tue, November 03, 2020
Letters Patent
Council marked a significant civic milestone this month with the receipt of Letters Patent from the Royal College of Arms in London, officially granting the Borough's Coat of Arms.
The detailed design helps to tell the story of the Borough and captures its history and culture through different elements centred arounf a blue and gold shield.
This will now be used as Council’s official mark for all civic, ceremonial and legal occasions and it’s now on permanent display in the Council Chamber .
Read the full story here.
Poppy Appeal
We’re approaching Remembrance Sunday on November 8th, and I’ve had an opportunity to take part in a number of Poppy Appeal launches in the Borough.
At Castlerock beach, I met with members of Dunboe RBL along with Council’s Veterans' Champion Councillor Knight McQuillan. It has never been more important to support these vital fundraising efforts.
The Poppy Appeal is of great significance to many and we should never forget the enormous sacrifice made by service men and women, veterans and their families.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Alderman Mark Fielding and Council's Veterans' Champion Councillor Michelle Knight McQuillan meet with representatives from the Dunboe branch of the Royal British Legion at Castlerock Beach at the launch of the RBL Poppy Appeal 2020.
Support for World Stroke Day
As you may have noticed, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council took part in a campaign to mark World Stroke Day 2020 on Thursday 29th October by illuminating Cloonavin in purple as a sign of support for people rebuilding their lives after stroke.
It was a pleasure to meet Mark Dyer, the Stroke Association’s Volunteering and Community Manager recently to accept the charity’s new manifesto.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Alderman Mark Fielding was recently presented with a copy of the Stroke Association’s new manifesto ‘Progressing Stroke Reform in Northern Ireland’, by Mark Dyer, the Stroke Association’s Volunteering and Community Manager.
Online efforts
As we are all aware, normal life is on hold for many due to the pandemic and we must do what we can to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by following the restrictions put in place to protect us all.
With the impact of these being felt across the Borough it is important to recognise the hard work being done across Council to continue offering invaluable services to our residents.
Whether this is our free virtual Halloween events, experiences created for school pupils by our Art Centres or the new range of online exercise classes for all, the work being done to engage with people in new ways should be commended.
These are challenging circumstances for us all, but it is reassuring to see Council continuing to show innovation in the face of such challenging circumstances.
NI Scrubs Causeway Coast
With the efforts of people working in challenging circumstances in mind, it was a pleasure to formally recognise the efforts of the NI Scrubs Causeway Coast last month.
These local volunteers made and delivered Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline workers at the initial height of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping give vital support to healthcare heroes.
I was pleased to issue over 200 Certificates of Appreciation for those involved in the effort and this is a reminder to us all that we are so fortunate to have people in our community working tirelessly to help others.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Mark Fielding, meets with Sheila Jackson from NI Scrubs Causeway Coast group, to formally present 200 Certificates of Appreciation for those involved in the effort.
White Park Bay rescue
Finally, I travelled to White Park Bay last month to meet four brave teenagers who rescued a father and his two children from the sea earlier this year.
The 16-year-old friends from St Killian’s College represent the best of our community, and Council had previously agreed that they should be formally recognised for their actions.
They are a credit to their families and I was pleased to have this opportunity to recognise their selflessness.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Alderman Mark Fielding meets Michael Quinn, Josh Schnell, Shane McKenna and Niall Óg McGuigan to formally recognise their bravery at the site of the rescue on White Park Bay beach.