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The Mayor
announced that the Stevenage Motto, “The Heart of a Town Lies in its People”, truly
reflected the Borough’s community.  She paid tribute to the author of the Motto,
Richard John Ingle, who had passed away aged 81 in December
2023.  Richard compiled the words when
he as a pupil at Barclays School.  The
Mayor was privileged to have attended Richard’s funeral,
which was a celebration of his life. He deserved great praise and
recognition for compiling the town’s motto.
The Mayor commented that she had attended 238
Mayoral Engagements since May 2023. 
Engagements such as those with Stevenage Community Trust, Stevenage Works Community Chest funds and The Betty
Game Opportunities Trust were great examples of how local people
were working together to help and support others by giving grants
and funds to those in need.  These
Trusts were groups of people and businesses in the town who had the
generosity at their core.  She thanked
them all.
Th Mayor announced that, during January 2024, she
had attended a tree planting in memory of former Councillor John Gardner, the launch of
Hertfordshire Covenant from all Faiths, Holocaust Memorial Day
exhibition at the Stevenage Library,
and visited the Covid Cobra first pillar in Grace Way, with thanks
to Junction 7
Creatives and
Community Development Team.  She would
shortly be visiting the Business Technology Centre(BTC), and
thanked WENTA (based at the BTC) for their generous donation to the
Mayor's charity funds.
The Mayor congratulated Sarah Pateman (Head of
Community Advice and Support) for receiving the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her work and services to the
Victims of Domestic Abuse in Hertfordshire.
The Mayor reminded Members that Stevenage had been recognised as a Dementia Friendly Community, and a
dementia badge for Councillors and staff to wear had been
produced.  She hoped that wearers would
support the initiative with a donation to the charity.
The Mayor announced that Don Hills had also passed
away recently.  Don had worked as a
journalist for 50 years.  He was the
Press Officer with Stevenage
Development Corporation from 1960 to 1980 and Public Relations and
Information Officer for Stevenage
Borough Council from 1976 to 1992.  He
had the unique role of working for both authorities for few
years.  He and the late Margaret Ashby
had also written a very interesting book on the history of
Stevenage.
At the Mayor’s invitation, a number of
Members paid personal tributes to Don Hills.