Let's welcome our new mayor

Wednesday is a special day for our city. It is Mayor Making when Council Member Sam Crooks will be formally elected Mayor for the coming year.

WELCOME Sir.

One of the first duties of our new Mayor will be to join us at SUNSHINE SMILE DAY. Sam will be with us at Manor Field's Irish Centre at 2pm.

Sam has a record over many years where he has shown love and dedication for Milton Keynes. We are so proud he will be joining the smiles on Sunday 19th May.

Our current Mayor, Martin Petchey, joined us at Sunshine Smile Day last year.

The Mayor cut my hair in the sponsored haircut.  Yes my hair is waiting to be cut again but Mayor Sam you are spared that dubious duty - Smiling Darren will be taking his life in his hands to shave away my hippie locks.

At Sunshine Smile Day 2018 Mayor Martin joined my dear friend Josh, aka The Eternal

Teenager, to receive a cheque from Asda Supermarket for Ronald McDonald House Birmingham.

I am racking my brains to work out how many years ago - a long time I can assure you, since I worked with Mayor Gerry Neil. More than forty I think. Heck, it feels like yesterday.

When Brain Baldry became Mayor he decided he wanted to come to Leon School where his son and daughter were

students, he wanted to address the entire school and explain the Milton Keynes motto.....

BY KNOWLEDGE, DESIGN AND UNDERSTANDING.

I was given the job of organising the visit. I packed 1,200 students and staff into the sports hall. Mayor Brian gave a brilliant talk inspiring the students.

After the assembly Mayor Brian chatted about our infant city. We call Milton Keynes a city but it  is not, we do not have city status. A few weeks after that assembly Mayor Brian was to

host HM Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Milton Keynes. He hoped that would lead to Milton Keynes being awarded city status. Sadly we are still not officially a city.

In September 2017 Mayor David and Mayoress Susan joined me at the Frog Challenge organised to support Ronald McDonald House Charities.

That was held at Wrigglies Exotic Pets in Old Stratford. Mayoress Susan said to me: You will never get him to touch

that snake !  This is the most viewed picture ever on Google featuring Milton Keynes. 

Mayoress Susan, nobody did tell you did they that the skunk you fell in love with did not have its sweat glands removed.

Here are David and Susan at another event.

While my friend Graham played the music I was tearing round those attending West Bletchley Community Centre's 50th birthday trying to get people out of their chairs to dance. I FAILED but when David and Susan got up the dance floor was packed.

It was at that event Mayoress Susan said to me: It does not matter what good cause you support providing you support one.  Those words have stuck with me ever since

and are central to all I do....playing music to make people smile and support good causes.

David and Susan, during their year of office, supported me in so many different projects. David, I do not wear a tie that often these days but when I do I wear with pride the Milton Keynes tie you gave me.

Christmas 2017, David and Susan supported another project. Leaving

the music they were heading to Milton Keynes Winter Night Shelter. I had never heard of it ! Our civic leaders soon put me right on that and now Milton Keynes Winter Night Shelter is central to the music I play.

Recently David joined me on the radio to play some of his favourite tracks and talk about his year in office. CLICK HERE AND CHECK OUT THE PODCAST

David, you are coming back again soon aren't you ?  Your knowledge and love of music is legendary, I think you should join the team at CRMK and present your own show !

Mayor Martin you joined me in the radio studio on New Year's Day and brought some smiles to our listeners. 

As I tried to wind you up and tease you about your choice of music you kept a straight face to turn the joke back on me !

Here you are in he studio wearing that same chain of office Mayor Baldry wore in the sports hall of Leon School as he explained the Milton Keynes motto: BY KNOWLEDGE,

DESIGN AND UNDERSTANDING.

Opening my laptop at stupid o'clock this morning I have 174 e-mails waiting for my attention, 7 messages on facebook and two text messages on my not so smart phone ! I tell people I do not use a smart phone as I do not want to be at the mercy of all that lot 24/7. The truth is I am not clever enough to make one work, I am quite happy with my Dorro. Dorro - mobile phones for the elderly.

Former Mayor David do you use a smart phone ? All I know is when I send you an e-mail I will get a reply within minutes. I wish I was as efficient as you are.

One of those 174 e-mails awaiting my not quite so efficient attention is one from EMMA. Behind every good Mayor and Mayoress is a BRILLIANT PA.  Out and about yesterday I called EMMA to apologise, wonderful lady who laughed and smiled at my crazy schedule.

So Mayor Sam we look forward to welcoming you to SUNSHINE SMILE DAY on Sunday 19th May. I can see from your picture that you will be leading the smiles.

On behalf of THE SUNSHINE SMILE CREW and all of our music can we play all the very, very best for your year in office.

4.05am - another message has popped into Facebook, It's from listener Steve in Sacramento California - it's 8.05pm yesterday there ! Sam, I'll have a word with Emma to fix for you to join me on the radio, following in the steps of David and Martin, to share your favourite music. All the best for Wednesday.