A WARM hello. Just a few words this festive time, as another year has flown by. Where does the time go? I hope at least the majority of you have managed to have an enjoyable year through this very difficult period. At the beginning of the year, after long

A WARM hello.

Just a few words this festive time, as another year has flown by. Where does the time go? I hope at least the majority of you have managed to have an enjoyable year through this very difficult period.

At the beginning of the year, after long and protracted discussions, we managed to secure the future of the King Edward Centre for the benefit of the town for the next 99 years.

Through the securing of �400,000 from Fenland District Council and Chatteris Town Council, the next year will see the start of alterations to improve the facilities for the centre and for all the organisations that continually hire it to keep it a viable proposition.

Please bear with us while these alterations are going on as there will be disruption to enable the builders to be in and away in the shortest possible time.

We had a very successful medieval weekend judging by the number of visitors over the three days. We hope it will be as good this year. (Well done, keep it up).

Then we had excellent results in Chatteris in Bloom, gaining GOLD for the first time. Well done to all the volunteers for their hard work through the spring and summer. It's nice to see our small town looking so colourful and able to compete with the best in East Anglia.

Let us not forget the Street Pride group helping to keep Chatteris clean and tidy by going into places others fear to tread.

As I sat writing this message I looked out of the window, low and behold I spied another set of volunteers starting to put up the Christmas Lights for this year's display. What a tremendous show they produce for us year after year. May they continue to do so for many years to come.

Also in the early part of next year we will hopefully see the all weather pitch finished at the Cromwell, which is the first phase towards the leisure facilities for the town.

I hope by reading this message it reminds you of some of the happier moments during this year and that there is still pleasant and enjoyable occasions even through the doom and gloom.

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all.

COUNCILLOR PETER MURPHY

Mayor of Chatteris