Brad Ford Bears cost £7.99 each + posting & packing and all profits will go to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
To buy your Brad Ford Bear please contact Alexis in the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Office on 01274 434965 or send a message to us.
30 October 2006
Since I last wrote the Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress have been very busy but I have not been on too many of the engagement as I have been trying to get to grips with my new job and finding out more about the Lord Mayoralty, City Hall and all the official protocol I will need to be aware of as well as swotting up on all the Lord Mayor’s fellow Councillors. I will tell you more in a future blog.
But the highlight of the last two weeks was The Pirates of the Caribbean Dinner organised by Bradford Sport & Recreation Association for People with Disabilities. As I had not had time to arrange a suitable costume I spent most of the evening with the Lord Mayor’s Officers who I have been told to say worked extremely hard all night! I was glad of their protection as there were some pretty scary looking Pirates and I have not yet worked out how they managed to eat their food, I think that using a knife and fork must be incredibly difficult when you have a hook on the end of your arm. I was involved in an exciting magical illusion when I was turned into a Mermaid by Pirate Captain, John Lambert, I have no idea how the trick worked and even if I did I wouldn’t spoil it by telling you, but those who were there gasped in amazement. Everyone had a fantastic night and raised quite a lot of money for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal (we will let you know exactly how much when the wonderful people at BSRAPD have finished counting it). The food was delicious so I hope that I will be invited back to Cedar Court again soon.
On the same day the Lord Mayor met with Sgt Everett from 4 Para. The Lord Mayor wants to do a Sponsored Parachute Jump for his Appeal. HELP! I do not remember this being mentioned when I applied for the job. The Lord Mayor tells me that I WILL be doing this and that I WILL enjoy it. I think that it will be a Tandem Jump, so I will not have to open the chute myself, I am not sure that I will even manage to open my eyes. I will let you know more later especially details about how you can sponsor our very brave Lord Mayor or his very, very brave Bear.
Thursday was a very busy day as I was invited to do a Radio Interview at BCB Radio and then had a Photo Call with the Lord Mayor for an article in the Press all about me. Alexis has warned me not to let all this attention go to my head and that she will not be happy if I get too big for my boots, I asked what boots? I do not have any boots and am worried that my fury feet may get a little cold in the winter as I have been told that it does snow in Bradford. Bears do have nice thick fur but we are also supposed to hibernate in Winter and much as I would like to, I know that I will not be allowed to curl up and go to sleep for a few months. I think that I will have to ask the very nice Civic Housekeeper to find me some nice smart, shiny, black leather boots a bit like Sgt Everrett’s.
The Lord Mayor had another couple of engagements before I escorted the Lady Mayoress to a Virgin Vie Party. The ladies all seemed have a great deal of fun trying out the latest products Rachel had brought along and admiring Emma’s lovely jewellery. I hope that everyone placed lots of orders to help us raise some money. It was so kind of Rachel and Emma to both give up their time to help the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and if you missed them at this event you can catch up with them at the Lady Mayoresses Spring Fayre on the 29th March.
Countess of Wessex at the launch of Born in Bradford
And as if that was not enough excitement for one week on the Friday we had a Royal Visit! HRH The Countess of Wessex came to Bradford for the Official Launch of the Born in Bradford Appeal at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television and a this one of the Charities the Lord Mayor is supporting we had front row seats. I was a little overawed by the occasion but everyone was very kind and I think that I did everything right with the guidance of the Civic Affairs Manager, she is the lady who knows all about the protocol and who should do what and when and it is her job too manage the team who look after the Civic Team which is the Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress and the Deputy Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress. 
Before the Countess arrived we all heard from many people involved in the project either as Doctors, Researchers, Parents or Supporters why this study is so important to Bradford. I was amazed at the facts and figures particularly in learning that Bradford’s infant mortality rate, the number of babies who die before their first birthday, is amongst the highest in the country.
The Countess looked lovely but I am afraid that it was pouring down with rain when it was time for her to launch the 10,000 balloons which represented the 10,000 babies who will be asked to take part in this wonderful medical research project designed to improve the health of children both now and in the future. You can find out more about Born in Bradford by going to www.borninbradford.nhs.uk
10 October 2006
My name is Brad, that’s Brad Ford, and I am the official mascot for the Lord Mayor of Bradford’s Charity Appeal. As you can see I have a beautiful outfit to wear, this is my Civic Regalia, complete with Robes, Hat and Chain. I am a very cute and cuddly little bear; I am about 10” tall with soft brown fur and a very lovely face with just a hint of mischief in my eyes!
I arrived at City Hall after a long and tiring journey to a very warm welcome from the Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress and the staff in the Civic Affairs Office. After a much needed cup of the finest Yorkshire Tea drunk from the very dainty Civic china tea set and an hour of cuddles and fussing over from the Civic Housekeeper, it was down to business. The Lord Mayor took me into his rooms sat me on his rather grand desk and briefed me on my role as the official Lord Mayor’s Appeal Mascot.
It seems that I will have a busy and exciting life, travelling to Civic engagements and fundraising events with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, I am told that I will be able to travel in the Civic Car, how exciting and luxurious to get to travel in such style having arrived in Bradford in a rough cardboard box packed on a cold and drafty container lorry. As I was a little scared to be left all alone in my new surroundings I was taken home that night by Alexis, the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Officer, who spent the evening telling me about the charities the Lord Mayor is supporting through his charity appeal, they both sound very worthy and I hope that I will be able to help the Lord Mayor to raise lots of money for them.
On Thursday morning I was introduced to the wet & gloomy Bradford weather. I was worried that I would get my Civic Robes wet and that if I did the Civic Housekeeper would be cross with me but she very kindly provided me with an umbrella for me to a trudge up the hill to BCB Radio with. This was my official debut and a live broadcast, very scary for such a little bear. But I overcame my nerves, as I was not ready for a solo engagement I went with Joseph who works at the Hilton and is a member of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Committee and we told everybody about how the Hilton Hotel are supporting the Appeal this year.
In the afternoon I had my first photo shoot, the photographer from the Telegraph and Argus was very accommodating and made sure that he got my best side. I was a little worried that the Lord Mayor, who was in the shot too might upstage me, but having seen the article in Saturday night’s paper I think that we look like a couple of very handsome chaps and an excellent team!
In the evening I had a terrifying experience, my first Council Meeting! I thought that there might be lots of shouting and jeering but I was pleasantly surprised, the meeting was very civilised and it was a very positive experience for my first taste of democracy in action. After the meeting I was introduced to all the Councillors over more of that lovely Yorkshire Tea and they seem a very amiable bunch. I am sure you will be introduced some of them through this blog in the future.
I soon realised that not all my duties are going to be so important or grand but that some of them are going to be a lot of fun. When the Civic Staff arrived on Friday morning they were all wearing the most ridiculous headwear, apparently today was Get Ahead Hat Day to raise money for the Appeal, I was allowed keep hold of my dignitary as my tricorn is stitched firmly to my head but the Lord Mayor swapped his for a Christmas Elf hat complete with tinsel. The sun did manage to shine for the people who turned up to meet the Lord Mayor in Centenary Square all wearing their hats and bringing with them money for the Appeal.
On Friday we saw City Hall in a very different light as I joined Alexis in a very wet and cold Centenary Square for Light Night. City Hall looked magnificent and I felt very proud to be the little bear that lives inside such a splendid building. I will tell you more about City Hall later.
The rest of the weekend was quiet but the Lord Mayor told me to make the most of it as he assures me he is usually very, very busy. You can find out if that’s true by coming back again soon.
