Nick Hollinghurst chosen as Tring Town Mayor
Cllr Nick Hollinghurst, who is one of the representatives on Dunsley Ward on Tring Town Council has been elected as Town Mayor for the year 2012/13.
Nick, in his remarks thanking fellow councillors for confering on him the honour of being Tring Town Mayor for the year, outlined his charitable objectives as Mayor. First of all he wished to support the well-known local charity Iain Rennie Hospice at Home - now merged with Grove House Hospice in St Albans to form Iain Rennie Grove House Hospice Care.
Nick said, "The new merged charity retains its strong roots in Tring where Iain Rennie Hospice at Home originated. The link up with Grove House - a Day Hospice in Waverley Road, St Albans - provides a new facility greatly appreciated by those able to take advantage of it. The new venture also enables Iain Rennie's expertise and long experience to be extended to help a greater number of people. However the link up will provide firmer foundations and a broader base so that the charity can not only weather the present financial storms but continue to develop the standard of care it provides and build for the future." He stressed that Iain Rennie Grove House Hospice Care needs charitable donations and financial help more than ever as people live longer and the numbers needing care and support increase.
His second charity is the Tring Youth Project which has been instrumental in saving the Temperance Hall in Christchurch Road for community use. Among other things, it provides an after-school and early evening venue for young people. After early difficulties the Youth Project is now firmly established with sessions being provided on Fridays, while the county council's Youth Connexions Teamruns a session on Thursdays aimed at an older age group. Both are seeing satisfactory increases in numbers, but this very success produces a need for donations and support. The hall is available for hire but the Tring Youth Project will always need funds to support its directly provided youth activities.
Finally, Nick has chosen the Orchard Childrens Centre based in Dundale School. Nick says, "The Childrens Centres were set up nearly eight years ago and do a first class job in helping young couples planning to become parents, young families and young children from birth and up to the start of school. Although supported by government money chanelled through the county council, there is never enough to provide those extra things that often make the difference in helping a child. Early Years Development is now recognised as crucial to a happy and successful life. Babies and children grow up fast and if there are problems they need to be recognised and solved equally fast. Children are the future - let's make sure every child gets off to a good start in life."