The Opening Ceremony with the Mayor, Councillor Cynthia Palmer, Chairman of the District Council, Coun Andrea Morgan, MP Harriett Baldwin and many spectators, took place on Belle Vue Island. Proceedings were started with an announcement by the Town Crier. The participants then followed the Town Crier and processed to Malvern Theatre where the prize giving for the Schools’ Literary Competition took place.
President Dr John Harcup introduced Jenni Chuck who managed the Senior section of the Literary Competition and Katharine Barber, who was involved with the Junior section. Coun Andrea Morgan then presented the prizes to the winning students. The Overall Winner came from Malvern St James, the Secondary Winner from Hanley Castle and the Highly Commended were from The Chase. In the Junior section, the Winner was from The Downs and the Highly Commended from Malvern Parish. The Book Reviews entered showed a spread of reading and were most interestingly presented. The second event in Midsummer Malvern was the Bands in the Park in conjunction with the Town Council on Sunday 24th June in Priory Park. Coun Hannah Campbell welcomed the large crowd of picnickers and then Clive Hooper, Chairman of the Society, invited everyone to have a piece of the Society’s 60th Anniversary birthday cake.