'I'm still here!' - the challenge of an empty diary for Chorley's new mayor

Coronavirus has seen the usual charity banquets banished, community visits vanish and ribbon-cutting duties be reduced to nothing – but he hopes to change all that wherever it proves possible.

“At the moment, I’ve got a single event in the book – an invite to the virtual annual general meeting of a scout group,” smiles Steve.

“However, I want the community to know that the mayor is still here even during the current crisis – and I’ll come out and support any organisation as long as it can be arranged in a way which makes it safe for them and for me.”

The practicalities of being mayor during a pandemic were obvious from the socially-distanced installation ceremony held at Chorley town hall. Fewer than half of Cllr Holgate’s elected colleagues were able to support him in person – with the rest having to dial in remotely.

Even the mayoral garb had to be ditched for the occasion – with the close-quarters assistance that would have been needed to don it deemed too dangerous. The borough and county councillor may yet be forced to wear a long-forgotten mayoral hat as the sole identifier of his ceremonial importance.

However, it is not just the niceties accompanying the role which have had to be dispensed with. The serious mayoral business of fundraising is going to be a much tougher gig with charity events look set to be a no-no in the near future.

Cllr Holgate says he is determined that the organisations he is planning to support will not be denied the benefits which they could have expected during more normal times. He plans to turn to technology in his efforts to swell the coffers of his chosen charities – and has already been dubbed “the digital mayor”.

“Usually, you’d stage a few large events during the year and basically take everybody’s money off them,” he laughs.

“But I’m going to have to be a bit more inventive, so I’ll be doing a lot of crowdfunding, including a sponsored walk along part of the Cleveland Way and a bike ride around every parish in the borough.

“I’m sure we’ll do well, because the people of Chorley are so generous.

“But the banqueting will be off the agenda for now, which is probably just as well, as I’ve recently lost a lot of weight and don’t want to be putting it back on.”

The progress of the pandemic will determine whether this strange start to his term of office continues for the full year that Cllr Holgate is in post. If the situation improves, he hopes at least to be able to stage a 007-themed event and a repeat of his predecessor Hasina Khan’s memorable Bollywood night.

The four groups which he will be supporting over the next twelve months are St. Catherine’s Hospice, the Inspire Youth Zone, wellbeing charity Chorley Sheds and Green Living Chorley.

Although he now has to keep a lid on his party political views, Cllr Holgate says his passion for tackling climate change will remain undimmed during his time as mayor.

“Covid reminds us that we are a part of nature and if we don’t respect nature, then it won’t respect us in return.”

For now, though, his focus is on the shorter term – and a role which his younger self used to question the purpose of.

“I always wondered what a mayor actually does,” Cllr Holagte recalls.

He is about to discover first hand – at one of the strangest times to have found himself in the post.

FAREWELL FROM OUTGOING MAYOR

Cllr Hasina Khan marked the end of her mayoral year by saying how proud she was to have been in the role during the "difficult times that we’ve all faced together" in the last three months.

In spite of the cancellation of many of her own recent planned events, she still managed to raise £6,200 for her chosen charities - much of the total coming from a Bollywood Valentine's night which Cllr Holgate is hoping to repeat if conditions allow.

"Being mayor isn’t just about wearing fancy robes and chains, it’s about really getting to know the communities that I am so passionate about and bringing people together and giving support," Cllr Khan said.

The charities to benefit from last year's mayoral fund are Derian House, Homestart Centre Central Lancashire, Chorley British Legion and Environmental Projects in Chorley.