Dereham’s Mayor, Councillor Stuart Green, was officially recognised in a civic service held at St Nicholas’ Church on Sunday 10^th October.

The special service was dedicated to Dereham town and the people who serve it by acting as councillors and community representatives. The service was led by Reverend Paul Cubitt; Right Reverend Dr Jane Steen, Bishop of Lynn and resident of Dereham, gave the Sermon.

In the congregation were representatives from Dereham Town Council, local scouts and air cadets and representatives of voluntary organisations Dereham Lions and aboutDereham as well as a number of Mayors from across Norfolk, collectively known as a ‘magnificence of mayors’.

There were readings by both the Mayor, Councillor Stuart Green, and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Hugh King. Each focused on the contribution we can all make to society and to serve the interest of others, rather than our own self-interest.

The Bishop of Lynn picked up on the same theme, referring to the tiny mustard seed which grows to become a big tree. The parable tells us that the Kingdom of God is in all things and like the tiny seed can grow and support life.

The Minister talked about future plans for the Church and made reference to plans and hopes for the town, outlined in the Dereham’s Town Delivery Plan, recently published in draft form, and placed a copy on the altar as a symbol of much needed change.

The Mayor and Dereham Town Councillors and Officers were invited to respond to the Minister as he called upon them to serve the town’s best interests, to take their responsibilities seriously and to promote the welfare of the town and all its citizens. All vowed to do so, in the sight of God.

The service was very uplifting: the readings and prayers gave us pause for thought and to reflect upon the reasons why many of us get involved in civic life which, especially in small towns like Dereham, is always from a sense of duty and a desire to make things better for people, as best we can.

After the service, the congregation moved to the Memorial Hall where refreshments were served and Councillor Stuart Green gave a short address, referring to the difficulties caused by Covid and the desire and impetus to make plans and projects work for the benefit of Dereham residents.