Middle-earth Weekend 2011

Deputy Lord Mayor's Blog 25 
One of the events that we always enjoy attending either in a civic or private capacity and take an active part in each year is Birmingham's unique Middle-earth Weekend - indeed the Deputy Lady Mayoress chairs the MEW Organising Committee.

This year's event celebrates the work and cultural legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien, his many close connections with Birmingham and how the local landscape influenced his vision of Middle-earth.
Once again the organisation is volunteer led and, in a rather timely manner, this year there is a theme of woodlands and wild areas - of which Tolkien was particularly fond.
As ever, the Middle-earth Weekend will be a truly family occasion with no charge for admission and an old-fashioned air that is held in and around Sarehole Mill on the 21st and 22nd of May. Further details of the event are shown in the poster alongside.
Hope to see you there!

NSVA AGM

Deputy Lord Mayor’s Blog 24
Viv and I attended the annual general meeting of the National Service Veterans’ Association recently. This was a varied and interesting meeting covering a range of topics as well as the standard AGM items. It was held at the Nautical Club, which is always a pleasure to visit. The NSVA members are great to be with and some of the finest people you can meet.

One item on the agenda came as a very pleasant surprise when I was made an honorary member of the Association and Viv was ‘called up’ for the women’s section! On top of that I was given a plaque which will find a prominent place in my office at the council house. Thank you NSVA for this honour and for all the good work that you do.

Tolkien's Anniversary

Deputy Lord Mayor’s Blog 23

As Deputy Lord Mayor and in my recent year as Lord Mayor I've often been asked about my enthusiasm for the work of JRR Tolkien and our city’s many connections with this world-renowned author. I’m always happy to oblige and there’s a good deal of material on my website.

In fact there is a notable occasion today, January 3rd which is the 119th anniversary of Tolkien’s birth. Devotees across the world mark the occasion at 9pm local time by making a toast to ‘The Professor’ while facing West (the direction of the undying lands in Tolkien’s realm).

Tolkien was a Birmingham resident during his youth and described himself as ‘a Birmingham man’. Each year in May Tolkien’s cultural legacy is celebrated at the unique Middle-earth Weekend (affectionately known as ‘MEW’) which is held at Sarehole Mill. This year’s theme will be ‘Woods, Wilderness and the Wild Men of Middle-earth’ and you can find out more from the MEW website located at
 http://www.middleearthweekend.org.uk/

The weekend is volunteer-led and the Deputy Lady Mayoress chairs the organising committee.

Birmingham is justly proud of its many links with Tolkien and as a city we should do all that we can to increase the ways in which his great legacy is commemorated. For myself in 2011 I shall continue to do my bit to assist in this and shall follow the progress of the new films for which shooting begins next month.

Happy New Year!