Youngsters try on the chains of office
Thursday 18 October 2012
Three lucky youngsters were given a taste of what it's like to be Lord Mayor of Coventry.
The three Grange Farm schoolchildren were invited to join Lord Mayor Cllr Tim Sawdon as part of Local Democracy Week.
They were chosen after winning a painting competition at their school on the theme of "What does Coventry mean to you?"
And on Wednesday the three winners, Tom Parfitt, Molly Anderson and Alfie Shields started their day as Lord Mayor when they were picked up in the Lord Mayor's Jaguar.
Their day included presiding over a citizenship ceremony, attending a school debating competition and a guided tour of the rooms of the Council House and St Mary's Guild Hall, which are normally closed to the public. They were then returned to school in the Lord Mayor's car.
Cllr Sawdon said: "It was a really enjoyable day and great to see the children getting involved in civic life and learning about the Council and the role of the Lord Mayor. They all did a great job."
Local Democracy Week runs until Friday and another event has seen Year 12 students taking centre stage in the Council Chamber for a Schools Debating competition.
Pupils from Barr's Hill, Coundon Court, Foxford, President Kennedy, Cardinal Newman, Caludon Castle, Sidney Stringer and Westwood battled it out for the winners' shield.
The standard of debate was exceptionally high and after strong competition President Kennedy and Cardinal Newman competed in the final debate on "This House believes that the voting age should be reduced to 16."
President Kennedy were the winners in a closely fought contest and as part of their prize, also won tickets to see Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.
Local Democracy Week aims to encourage people across the country to take a more active role in civic life.
Other events in Coventry have included a charity quiz night at Esquires Coffee Shop in the Transport Museum, with Coventry Youth Council and city councillors raising money for the Lord Mayor's Charity Appeal; an online quiz; secondary school pupils running their very own "virtual" council; a display in the Council House; and regular tweets from Council meetings.
ENDS
Captions:
Lord Mayor for a Day: Tom Parfitt, Lord Mayor of Coventry, Cllr Tim Sawdon, Molly Anderson, Alfie Shields.
