Acceptance
Town Mayor, Councillor Lisa Farrell, gives thanks for her election – 9 May 2022
Thank you for allowing me another opportunity to act as Mayor for this kind and wonderful community we live in.
Firstly, I want to thank the volunteers in our community.
These are the people that give up their time to help others, without expecting anything in return.
Volunteers are a vital part of our community because without them so many charities would need to close and we would lose much needed help around the town.
They have given up so much of their free time without any reason or complaint and without expecting any recognition but I just want to take this moment to thank each and every one of them, even though I know they do not want to be thanked. Each volunteer is a very special human being and without them, so many vulnerable people would suffer.
So, in my year as Mayor, I will do my best to support them in any way that I can.
The last two years have brought so much sorrow and loneliness in our community.
We have lived through Covid which prevented people from going out into the community, especially the elderly and vulnerable.
Some kind people volunteered to help the vulnerable and the elderly and comfort them
They took their shopping and picked up their medication so they did not need to leave the house and we could keep them safe.
On top of that, they also spoke to them on the phone and gave them company so they were not alone
The elderly and vulnerable during that period were so frightened and scared.
Some people were too scared or proud to ask for food and would go days without saying anything.
Thank you to the people in this community, we were able to help and give support.
During the same period, care homes were understaffed through illnesses and could not cope under the pressure.
Some of the care home staff felt unsupported and left their jobs, because they also needed help.
None of the volunteers had expected it to be as hard as it was.
It was not a case of just picking up prescriptions and shopping, but it was also the physical and mental aspect of it too.
For example, volunteers would meet strangers they had never met before.
If the individual was scared, frightened or worried, the volunteer could not go near them to provide physical contact.
They could only offer support from afar.
Obviously, lots of other people were impacted by this horrible disease, and the volunteers helped more than just the elderly and the vulnerable.
However, they were the ones most at risk.
Some volunteers caught covid, and would feel guilty if they were unable to help during their isolation period.
It was very hard for each of the volunteers, and I am lucky to know people that are as kind and generous as these volunteers were.
I would also like to say that Clare and Sue were fantastic as well because they worked so hard to get everything in place.
They worked tirelessly every day to make sure no one was missed so I would like to thank them as well.
Having watched the struggles during the pandemic, I realised there are so many charities out there working so hard but they do not really know about one another so I would like to make sure we have a better understanding of the charities in our communities.
As well as focusing on the elderly people in our community, we should think about the young people during the pandemic.
They struggled too and were alone too instead of at school. This also affected their mental health and lots of young people have struggled to make friends.
Some have no confidence or self-esteem.
During my 8 years working with the youth I have learned quickly about drugs, drug dealing, cyber bullying, grooming and phone bullying. This is not easy at any age to deal with.
This is all new to me, and I hope that young people can continue using the youth centre and we can try and provide support to help them to help them with these issues.
Our youths should stop suffering in silence.
I would also like to thank the continued support from Marlborough College students who have kept us open by paying the rent and buying food especially from C3 Millmead and B1. The children and the volunteers cannot thank you all enough.
My mission as Mayor is to encourage everyone to open our hearts and care for one another.
We can spend 5 minutes a day, listening to one another or helping a friend in need. It doesn’t take long to help someone, especially when you do not know who is suffering.
This year, I want to support as many volunteer groups as possible and help bring schools together to make us a community.
I also want to focus on young people so they are able to get their voices heard too.
I am often asked why I have chosen to become Mayor again. It is because one year is not long enough to start any projects things take time.
Going into the unknown also makes it harder so, given that I have already done this once before and I know much more I feel more prepared, I want to enjoy the experience and not worry so much if I do not get this right.
So, please help me support the community and make Marlborough greater than it already is.
Thank you