Tea with the Lord Mayor

On 17^th January, a group of FURD workers, trustees and volunteers attended a reception in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour in Sheffield Town Hall. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com🏢office" />

The Lord Mayor, John Campbell, thanked FURD for its work which he said has contributed to Sheffield experiencing better community relations than a number of other cities have.

A picture of Arthur Wharton now hangs on the wall of the Parlour, which was presented to the Lord Mayor by FURD at the premiere of its Arthur Wharton documentary film on 28^th October 2012. Wharton, the world’s first black professional footballer, played for Sheffield United in 1894-5. The Lord Mayor expressed a wish that future mayors would keep it there.

Councillor Campbell grew up in the Pitsmoor area of Sheffield and is the city’s first African-Caribbean mayor and, so far, its only African-Caribbean councillor ever. During a question and answer session, he said he hoped to use his year in office to inspire young people, especially those from BME backgrounds, to get involved in politics and community action and to believe they can make a difference.