On Tuesday the 1st March Southend took another significant step in its history. No longer a borough, we now live in the City of Southend-on-Sea! It was a great honour to be invited to represent Love Southend in the Council Chamber as this momentous event, along with many other church and faith leaders. These included two other members of the Love Southend Servant Team, Gavin Dixon and John Simmons who were invited because of their charitable work in debt advice and homelessness respectively.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall attended on behalf of the Queen to present the ‘Letters Patent’, the Royal Charter granting Southend city status. The many tributes to Sir David Amess’ tireless campaign for Southend to be recognised as a city culminated in another unique moment – his being awarded, posthumously, the very first ‘freedom of the city’ honour, received on his behalf by his widow, Lady Amess and one of his daughters. Ann Widdecombe, a close friend of Sir David, read a moving acknowledgement of the honour on behalf of the family.
Gaining city status is a significant change for Southend historically and politically. As part of the Christian family in the city, Love Southend wants to play its part in seeing what has happened in the natural order of things reflected in a significant moving forward of God’s plans and purposes for Southend spiritually; to see an increase in the coming of God’s Kingdom into every sphere of the life of the city in which he has placed us to be salt and light for Jesus.
By Mark Churchward
Love Southend Servant Team
Watch the ceremony below.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”4″ gal_title=”City Status Ceremony”]Photos Southend-on-Sea City Council Comms and Gaz De Vere