Lord Mayor's Blog 10
As Lord Mayor of Birmingham it was a great pleasure to confer the Freedom of the City on the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery (the Midlands Gunners) recently. This is what I said in my speech at the reception:
"It has been both an enjoyable occasion and an honour to be with the Regiment again today following meetings with officers and our memorable visit to the Regiment last month in Gutersloh. And most importantly, to officially confer the freedom award.
It was also a privilege to take part in the award ceremony and a pleasure to see the warm and positive response of the people of Birmingham - a support that is freely given and which today was evident in abundance.
I would also compliment the thoughtful preparation and professional attention to detail with which the Regiment and its batteries conducted your role in today’s proceedings.
And I think all will agree that it was a particular joy to see the Regiment then exercising the 'Freedom of the City of Birmingham'.
You carried out the noble tradition of 'marching through the streets with drums beating, bands playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed’ with characteristic panache and an exuberance reflected in the stirring marching and music so ably provided by the Parachute Regiment.
This lifts the spirits of everyone and creates an exhilarating atmosphere in which we can all share and which suffuses the day.
It was a performance conducted with justifiable pride. Just as indeed the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery can be rightfully proud of so many achievements in the fight for freedom, justice and the defence of liberty.
I can think of no more honourable calling than that of ensuring the security and well-being of this country and in defending the fundamental freedoms of others less fortunate than ourselves.
We express our gratitude for the Regiment’s service to the country and we are extremely proud of our strong and deepening association with you.
It would not surprise me to hear you say that active service in theatres of danger is a soldiers job, but what strikes me very strongly whenever I meet the troops is the sheer positive vitality of our service men and women not simply for their readiness to undertake further tours of duty, but their enthusiasm to take these on and to carry out the tasks for which they have been trained - and in so doing fulfilling the ideals of service that prompted them to join the forces in the first place.
Hence the deep respect you have gained for the individual courage and commitment and for the collective teamwork and professionalism both in active service and in support.
All of the service so freely given represents the extraordinary efforts made, as the services as a whole so modestly put it, by ‘ordinary people’ - but in my view by people who, as Lincoln put it, ‘reflect the better angels of our nature’.
And in all of this we in Birmingham are intensely proud of our connection with the Regiment and the close and personal links that have been formed between the regiment, the city and the wider region.
These links are very important to us and we thank the Regiment for your bravery, skill and dedication. This has been a wonderful day for everyone and we look forward to ever-closer links with the Regiment.
In the broadest sense of the word we salute you, and the City of Birmingham wishes the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery continuing success and every good fortune in the years to come."
As Lord Mayor of Birmingham it was a great pleasure to confer the Freedom of the City on the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery (the Midlands Gunners) recently. This is what I said in my speech at the reception:"It has been both an enjoyable occasion and an honour to be with the Regiment again today following meetings with officers and our memorable visit to the Regiment last month in Gutersloh. And most importantly, to officially confer the freedom award.
It was also a privilege to take part in the award ceremony and a pleasure to see the warm and positive response of the people of Birmingham - a support that is freely given and which today was evident in abundance.
I would also compliment the thoughtful preparation and professional attention to detail with which the Regiment and its batteries conducted your role in today’s proceedings.
And I think all will agree that it was a particular joy to see the Regiment then exercising the 'Freedom of the City of Birmingham'.
You carried out the noble tradition of 'marching through the streets with drums beating, bands playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed’ with characteristic panache and an exuberance reflected in the stirring marching and music so ably provided by the Parachute Regiment.This lifts the spirits of everyone and creates an exhilarating atmosphere in which we can all share and which suffuses the day.
It was a performance conducted with justifiable pride. Just as indeed the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery can be rightfully proud of so many achievements in the fight for freedom, justice and the defence of liberty.
I can think of no more honourable calling than that of ensuring the security and well-being of this country and in defending the fundamental freedoms of others less fortunate than ourselves.
We express our gratitude for the Regiment’s service to the country and we are extremely proud of our strong and deepening association with you.
It would not surprise me to hear you say that active service in theatres of danger is a soldiers job, but what strikes me very strongly whenever I meet the troops is the sheer positive vitality of our service men and women not simply for their readiness to undertake further tours of duty, but their enthusiasm to take these on and to carry out the tasks for which they have been trained - and in so doing fulfilling the ideals of service that prompted them to join the forces in the first place.
Hence the deep respect you have gained for the individual courage and commitment and for the collective teamwork and professionalism both in active service and in support.
All of the service so freely given represents the extraordinary efforts made, as the services as a whole so modestly put it, by ‘ordinary people’ - but in my view by people who, as Lincoln put it, ‘reflect the better angels of our nature’.
And in all of this we in Birmingham are intensely proud of our connection with the Regiment and the close and personal links that have been formed between the regiment, the city and the wider region.
These links are very important to us and we thank the Regiment for your bravery, skill and dedication. This has been a wonderful day for everyone and we look forward to ever-closer links with the Regiment.
In the broadest sense of the word we salute you, and the City of Birmingham wishes the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery continuing success and every good fortune in the years to come."
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