SIR, My year as Mayor of Witney is about to come to an end, and during that time I have represented Witney at around 110 events.

It has been a privilege and an amazing experience to have met many inspirational people, businesses and organisations. I would like to acknowledge and thank the Witney Gazette and Witney TV for promoting these events.

To have represented Witney in this centenary year of the First World War has been humbling. I have lasting impressions of the young people, their involvement in the community and the organisations that encourage their development through a variety of activities; the businesses that support and raise funds for charities; the voluntary organisations and community groups that are so important in support of their members with very little funding, and the benefit to Witney by being twinned with Unterhaching and Le Touquet. I have learned so much more about our wonderful town and people.

The perfect end to the year has been the Mayor’s Charity evening held as the inaugural event in the wonderful and iconic newly refurbished Corn Exchange.

I will be forever grateful for the generosity of people and businesses in making the evening such a success and raising money for my chosen charity, Coppafeel. With the help of West Oxfordshire Academy of Performing Arts, in particular, the total amount raised for the year is in excess of £5,000.

Mayor Jeanette Baker
Witney Town Council