The Best Guide for the Neston Area

A Christmas Message from the Town Mayor of Neston

A Happy Christmas to everyone in Neston.

Cllr Mike Shipman, Town Mayor of Neston.
Photo by Bernard Rose

Over half way through my second year as Town Mayor, I continue to marvel at how much goes on in the town, and how much we as a community benefit from the efforts of so many volunteers - those who do what they do for the community without financial reward, directly or indirectly.

I was reminded of this at the Community Carol Service, once again organised this month by the local United Reformed Church, when the list of voluntary organisations took a minute to be read out, and also at the NCYC Volunteers Christmas Party.

It's this community spirit binding us together that is so obvious at Christmas. The goodwill that is there throughout the year is magnified and there is a noticeable joyfulness in the air.

But not everywhere is like Neston. There is little to celebrate in war-torn Syria, Iraq, Yemen, central and northern African and so many other areas.

Nearer home let us remember the refugee crisis in Europe: one and a half million asylum applications in the last 18 months, at least 4,000 drowned in the Mediterranean this year - and over half the refugee population is under 18.

Why does it matter to us? In 1624 John Donne reminded us that "no man is an island./any man's death diminishes me/ because I am involved in mankind. /And therefore never send to know for whom/ the bell tolls; it tolls for thee".

So yes, let's celebrate at Christmas. Yes, let's all look forward to helping everyone within our community experience a happy new year. But as I said last year, let's also remember that the birth we celebrate at Christmas is that of one whose central message was "Love one another" - and he didn't exclude anyone.

Mike Shipman

Town Mayor of Neston

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