MAN-10265 MAGAZINE.indd - Mansfield College - University of Oxford

A Year in the “Chain Gang”
Bob Skelly
English Language and Literature 1965-68
Patron of Mansfi eld
I retired from teaching in 2001 at 55 whilst still having
the energy to have a go at something else, and in 2002
to my surprise was elected to Southwark Council at the
10th attempt. After two and a half years as the Executive
Member for Education and Culture in the Borough and
then spells in Planning and Scrutiny, just over a year ago
I was, at very short notice, presented with the opportunity
of becoming Mayor of the Borough. I was immediately
plunged into frenetic activity with only fi ve days off during
the year, but it was a dream come true and I loved every
minute of it. There were numerous opportunities to listen
to people’s life experiences and to get involved with the
rich diversity of life in Southwark. I met schoolchildren,
pensioners, volunteers, charity workers, bishops, business
people and many others from all communities and ages,
most of whom are unsung heroes of one sort or another.
It is a tremendous privilege to be able to tell them that it is
impossible to put a price on what they do. The Mayor is
usually asked to say “a few words” and it has been another
privilege to fi nd the words to encourage and vastly challenge
such different groups of people.
It is amazing how pleased everyone is to see the Mayor.
He or she takes an impartial interest in everything that
goes on in the Borough and is a non-threatening, nonpolitical
presence who represents everyone. Like most
municipalities, in Southwark we still have the old concept
of the Civic Mayor who gives up politics for the year, rather
than the new breed of highly political elected Mayors. One
of the most interesting duties I have had to perform is to
preside over Citizenship Ceremonies. In Southwark alone
approximately 250 people a month are becoming British
citizens and, in groups of about 60, after sitting through a
speech from the mayor, they pledge their allegiance to the
Queen and loyalty to the United Kingdom before singing
the national Anthem. The preponderance is from West
Africa but with representatives from all over the world
except Western Europe. Not surprisingly, Iraq, Afghanistan
and Eastern Europe are well-represented, but so are Australia
and New Zealand. Southwark has the largest Sierra Leonean
community in the country, and it was an honour to welcome
the President of that nation to the Town Hall. We have
welcomed people from everywhere in the world where there
is war and confl ict, famine and starvation or oppression
and denial of human rights, and their children are in our
schools – 106 mother tongues at the last count! The world
has come to us, and what is remarkable is that everywhere I
go in the Borough I am touched by the generosity of spirit
and tolerance of everybody. I particularly pay tribute to the
churches and other faith groups who contribute so much
to the life of a Borough where 80% of the population claim
to have a faith. Not only do they proclaim their faith, but
are a virtual second tier of social service, particularly when
it comes to nurture the
young people of the
Borough and helping
them to fi nd themselves.
By and large we get on
very well together.
Nevertheless it is
impossible to ignore
the notorious incidents
of gun and knife crime
in the Borough and
in South London
generally. Peckham particularly, in the heart of Southwark,
has acquired an unenviable reputation, generally quite
unjustifi ed, for violent incidents. I have been tremendously
impressed with the energy, talents and accomplishments of
Southwark’s young people in music, art, sport, drama and
many other areas, but I decided at the beginning of the year
to make my charity appeal – another Mayoral tradition –
for the Damilola Taylor Trust. This is named after the ten
year-old schoolboy who was attacked and killed on his way
home from Peckham Library after school, having only been
in the country for four months. He had come here for
better educational opportunities. The Trust was set up by
his parents to try to reach the kind of youths who attacked
their son, and the most vulnerable young people in the area.
Their work concentrates on mentoring within schools and
using reformed gang members from the same background to
speak to the teenagers and show them better ways of gaining
respect and self esteem. I made a rather daring pledge at the
beginning of the year that we would raise £50,000 for the
Trust – daring because it was nearly three times what any
other Mayor had raised in the past. Our confi dence was
justifi ed however, and the fi nal total will be in the region of
£60,000.
One of the delights of being a member of the “Chain
Gang” is the collegiality with the other Mayors of the 32
London Boroughs. We meet and share experiences on
many occasions during the year at events as diverse as
concerts, funerals, anniversary celebrations, receptions, balls
and occasions such as the Mayor’s Service in Westminster
Abbey, dining in the painted Hall at Greenwich and the
“Whittington Walk” from Highgate Hill to the Mansion
House in the city – fortunately all downhill – are lifetime
memories. People didn’t believe I could walk fi ve miles
but I’ve got a certifi cate to prove it! The London Mayors
Association is a very active and vibrant body which keeps
present and past Mayors in fellowship and organises a trip
abroad to a major city every year. This year many of us went
to Vienna where we were received at the Rathaus and by
a number of Mayors in small towns in the Danube Valley,
happily in wine producing areas. Being Mayor has been
tiring but more importantly an inspiring and humbling
experience and I would recommend a year ‘in chains’
to anyone. ●
Bob Skelly
ALUMNI NEWS 22