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Councillor Nicholas Fogg, MBE

Nick Fogg MBE photo by Press Association Images Press Association Images

Congratulations to Councillor Fogg following his Investiture at Windsor Castle where he received the MBE from the Queen for services to the community. Cllr Fogg, a former Mayor and long serving Town Councillor as well as a Wiltshire Councillor, is also a founder member of the Jazz Festival and played a key role in initiating the Literary Festival.
Arriving in Marlborough in the 1970s with his wife Edwina, herself a former Mayor, Nick is also an expert on Shakespeare's life and works and has lectured widely on the subject. A big well done to a man who is a real asset to Marlborough and who continues to work hard for the town.

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Mayoral Chain in the Making

The Town Mayor, Cllr Guy Loosmore and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Marian Hannaford-Dobson,visit to Fattorini’s Head Office Following the theft of the Mayoral Chain, Councillors have decided to return what was taken in the best way they can. Marlborough’s historic insignia worn by the town’s First Citizen since 1911 is being replicated by Royal Warrant holder, Thomas Fattorini Limited in Birmingham. This will be worth the value of the original chain as agreed by the Town Council’s insurers.

The Town Mayor, Cllr Guy Loosmore and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Marian Hannaford-Dobson, have just visited Fattorini’s Head Office in Regent Street, Birmingham to see for themselves how the chain will be crafted. The company which was founded in 1827 is a real mix of the very modern and reassuringly traditional where the latest I.T. and manufacturing technology sits comfortably alongside highly skilled goldsmiths and craftsmen.

Sales Manager, Michael Moore, toured the workshops with the Town Councillors who were able to learn more about how the chain will be made. They started by meeting the graphic designers who have studied pictures of the original chain and have been able, with the latest graphics technology, to re-create it incorporating the beautiful enamelled work and precious stones. Then they moved on to look at machinery which will be used to form certain chain link and pendant components. From there, they visited the enamel workshop, where the chain will be hand embellished with vitreous enamel and finished by meeting the goldsmith who will craft the 18 carat gold pendant and chain, piece by piece.

For well over 100 years, Fattorini has designed and created pendants, chains of office and other fine regalia for parish, town, city and district councils, associations, and universities - nationally and internationally. This isn’t the first time that Fattorini has been involved with Marlborough – the company designed the Mayoress’s badge in 1935.

The Mayor’s Chain was first worn in 1911 by six times Mayor, Councillor Thomas Free and paid for by subscription. His son Councillor Eric Free, MBE was also Mayor on five occasions. The Free family were saddened by the theft and have taken a real interest in the new commission prompting Cllr Free’s great great granddaughter, Lucy, aged 15 years, to visit the Town Hall a few weeks ago learn more about the history of her family.

Following his visit to Fattorini, the Mayor said “This is the first chapter in the story of the how Marlborough is determined put back in place its stolen heritage. I have every confidence that Fattorini will create an exceptional and exquisite replacement for the original chain and one which Thomas Free himself would have been proud of.”

The Town Council will be following the story of making of the Mayor’s Chain with more updates right up to when it is completed in May 2014.

Fattorini.1 Fattorini.7 original chain

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MBE for Town Councillor

Congratulations to Town Councillor and former Mayor, Nick Fogg, on being awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for his work for Marlborough’s International Jazz Festival and for the community.

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Marlborough’s Citizen of the Year

Citizen of the Year 2013

Marlborough’s Citizen of the Year 2013 is Viv Lucas. She’s a very special lady and has spent many years working with Scout groups and in other voluntary roles in the community. A close runner-up was Janet Louth who has done so much for Savernake Hospital. Well done to them both.

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Mayor’s Christmas Card Competition

Well done to all those children from St Peter’s, St Mary’s and Preshute Schools who entered the competition to design a Christmas card for the Mayor. We received so many entries that it took the Mayor and Mayoress a long time to choose the winners. The three winning designs have been printed as the Mayor’s Christmas Cards for 2013. The winners were Charlie O’Shaughnessy (St Mary’s), Cooper Wilson (St Peter’s) and Florence Gibbon (Preshute). There were some excellent entries – we have some really talented young artists in Marlborough.

The Mayor congratulating winner Cooper Wilson at St Peters School Card designs Christmas Cards

The Mayor congratulating winner, Cooper Wilson, at St Peter’s School

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Magic Marlborough

What a wonderful night with so many coming along to watch the Christmas lights being expertly switched on by Emily Barnett of St Peter’s School. Emily was chosen from those school choirs performing in the Christmas Choir Competition at St Mary’s Church. All sang beautifully. After some wonderful musical entertainment on the steps of the Town Hall, the Mayor, his Mayoress and Father Christmas helped Emily to do her magic and turn on the lights for Christmas 2013.

Meeting Emily.2jpg Emily meets the Mayor Emily prepares Emily Barnett switches on the lights

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Marlborough Salutes its Soldiers

4 Military Intelligence Battalion hold Afghanistan operational medals parade in historic Marlborough

80 soldiers of 45 Company, 4 Military Intelligence Battalion (4MI Bn) who have recently returned from a challenging and successful six month deployment in Afghanistan received their operational medals at a parade in historic Marlborough today (Thursday 28 November 2013).

They were joined by over 100 of their fellow soldiers from the Battalion and marched from Marlborough College into the High Street to be presented with their medals by The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB CBE ADC Gen The Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps and the Mayor of Marlborough, Mr Guy Loosmore.

They were led in by The Band of the Grenadier Guards, one of the world’s premier military bands and The Battalion's adopted greyhound "Blue". 4 MI Bn also exercised its Freedom of Marlborough by marching with fixed bayonets and flags flying. This was granted to the battalion in June 2011 making it the first Army unit to have been awarded Marlborough’s Freedom of Entry since 1204.

4MI Bn as it is known today, was formed on 3 September 2001 but can trace its roots back to the D-Day landings of the Second World War. 4 MI Bn’s mission is to deliver intelligence and counter intelligence support to the Army. In Afghanistan, the Battalion provided vital information to the Chain of Command in order for tactical decisions to be made.

General Houghton addressed the troops saying:

“I think the links that exist at a local level in towns such as Marlborough and units of the Army and the Armed Forces are fundamental in helping those units when they deploy on operations and the knowledge that they have that close association and close support. ”

Major Jim Holl, the Officer Commanding the recently returned 45 Company said:

"What a day! The towns folk turned out in huge numbers. A huge and proud day for the battalion and great for my soldiers - just fantastic."

The parade was watched by both Marlborough Town Council dignitaries and families and friends, and hundreds of school children turned out to wave and cheer. The close ties between the town and the Battalion is underlined by the Battalion’s use of the greyhound as its emblem as illustrated in the Town’s coat of arms.

ArmyHQ-2013-198 4MI Bn Homecoming Pde