A meeting had been convened to hear talks on developing collaboration among GeoGebra, the Cambridge Centre for Innovation in Technological Education (CCITE) and Research Centres in Cambridge’s twin city, Szeged, in Hungary.

The speakers Dr Zsolt Lavicza, University of Cambridge and Professor Adrian Oldknow, University of Chicester/CCITE. GeoGebra (http://geogebra.org), is a free, open-source, dynamic mathematics software which has the potential to transform aspects of how young people (primary, secondary, higher) can explore and learn topics in science, technology, engineering and maths.

The Cambridge Centre for Innovation in Technological Education (CCITE, http://ccite.org) is a newly formed organization, which aims to help tackle the systemic weaknesses in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) provision in schools in the UK.

Dr Lavicza outlined the scope of GeoGebra and community who are using and developing it. Prof Oldknow gave a compelling account of how fragmentation in the curriculum, and in the secondary education sector has created a dangerous imbalance against allowing students to come forward with skills to tackle the problems of nowadays.

I was rather taken by a demonstration of Theo Jansen’s Strandbeest walking linkage.

I inspected the four British Legion standards on parade and spoke to the bearers, the commanding officed of the Cambridge army cadet unit, and other ex-servicemen. After some opening remarks from me, the vicar Rupert Charkham spoke two prayers, the standards were lowered and a two minute silence was observed. Then wreaths were laid by myself and the President of the local British Legion, and the Kohima Epitaph was recited:

When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today

After inspecting the marvellous craftmanship in solid oak carpentry, and re-gilding of inscribed lettering of the names of the 45 parishioners who had died in the 1914-1918 war, we repaired to the Guildhall for tea and biscuits. Here there was a small display giving details of the restoration project as well as photographs relating to the 1922 opening service of dedication – and a chance to talk to some of the people who had been involved in the restoration project.

About £33,000 was raised some time ago to help the Speech and Language Unit (SLU) then at Arbury Primary School to be established on a permanent rather than basis living a hand to mouth existence in a portacabin. This was the Babel Project with fundraising led by parents Catherine Wolston and Hilary Sage.

When the SLU found a more permanent home at Colville School a new plan emerged and a multi-sensory room has been created which will benefit all pupils, not just those in the SLU.

In the morning the children met a former UK Olympian and in the afternoon they met Georgina Bullen who is hopeful of being selected for Team GB in the paralympics goalball team. Partially sighted Georgie who is 17 has only been playing goalball for 3 years.

The games played included mini versions of football, hockey, and cricket, and paralympic games such as goalball and non-olympic games such as speed stacking.

The weather was beautiful (such a change from last year when it poured with rain). Each school had created a mascot, and they had started the day by all joining in a dance that they had just learned at their schools.

Georgie, Margaret and I handed out certificates, and ‘gold’ and ‘silver’ medals.

Goalball was devised in 1946 in an effort to aid rehabilitation of visually-impaired World War II veterans, and involves two teams of three trying to put a 1.25kg ball in each others’ net.

The ball is filled with bells and it is through the sense of hearing that players work out where the ball is.

All players wear eyeshades that cannot be touched throughout matches. In this way sighted, partially sighted and blind players can compete against one another.

The total directly raised was just under £3,500. I have also hosted three charity events in the Guildhall over the year – for Whitworth House, Cruse, and FLACK – which between them brought in a total of £7,200.

Direct fundraising included a quiz night and a Christmas ‘spot the face’ challenge, both organised by members of staff of the council; talks to societies and clubs, and fees for hosting groups of visitors to the Guildhall to learn about the mayoralty; a donation from proceeds of a concert ‘my’ orchestra played in before Christmas; a fee for two seminars I led at the Moller Centre.

So the year’s efforts that I have been involved with brought a grand total of £10,700 to worthy causes in Cambridge.

Margaret baked some delicious savoury scones and cheese straws, and we had cakes from Hungary too.

I am pleased to say that I had the cheek ask if a fee could be paid – and that is how I have now got three cheques totalling £500 to give to my three charities when they come next week to receive the proceeds of my fundraising.

The special view from the Mayor’s Parlour in the Guildhall shows against the northern sky a panorama taking in King’s Hostel, Great St Mary’s Church, the tower of Tree Court and the 1930s St Michael’s Court of Caius College leading along Market Street. In front of these is the general market – still the best place in Cambridge for lots of fresh local produce. The companion image shows the view south down Pease Hill towards the Arts Theatre and Ben’et Street, with sun tracks show the passing of days as the light returns after midwinter.

It was lovely to meet the FLACK team again. The way in which many of their members seem to have grown in spirit and confidence through participating in the project is really inspiring.

Some members were really buzzing with the excitement of having taken part in the Brit Floyd concert at the Royal Albert Hall the previous Saturday.

I was given a lovely and amusing illustrated card full of touching messages from FLACK members.