This Sunday – December 6th – sees Hospiscare hold its annual Tree of Light Service in Exeter Cathedral. The special service, and the wonderful Tree of Light, present an opportunity for members of the local community to remember loved ones and to celebrate the lives of friends and family no longer with us. Details on the Tree of Light, and Sunday’s service, can be found at http://www.hospiscare.co.uk/.

The wonderful Christmas Tree, outside the West Front of Exeter Cathedral, is not only the Tree of Light, but also the ‘City’s Christmas Tree In The Close’. The Tree is a symbol of City and charitable & community organisations working together – something that’s really important, as the City Centre is at the heart of the local community. I hope that the presence of the Tree of Light over the coming weeks will help a really important local charity to raise much needed funds for its vital work.

The City Centre will clearly only continue to develop if the myriad of businesses to which it’s home continue to trade successfully. Ultimately, however, the Centre can only thrive as a ‘shop window’ for the local community if the people of Exeter, and the communities that it serves, feel that the City Centre works with the charities and community groups that are important to them. This is something we try our best to deliver – but we would always welcome views from the local community on how we could be ever-more successful with this specific objective. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have a view on this issue at john.harvey@exeter.gov.uk.

It’s all about us recognising the benefits and importance of ‘active citizenship’…

John Harvey.

Posted on: 4/12/2009