CHRISTMAS is a time for many of us to stop, take a moment and reflect on the past year.
And this has certainly been no ordinary year thanks to Covid. We started the year in lockdown and we’re ending it in a fight to stem the spread of the Omicron variant.
Amidst it all though we have helped and supported each other and reached out to our neighbours. We have taken the opportunity to reconnect with our loved ones and spend some much-needed quality time together after being separated for so long.
Our year as City of Culture has also brought us all together as a community, showcased our city’s many talents and given us something special to celebrate in these difficult times.
So, as we look forward to enjoying time with family and friends over the festive period, let’s remember all the things that bind us together as a city – our compassion, our strength, and our resilience.
But as we reflect, we must also look to the future.
I am optimistic for 2022. I know that together we can renew, recover and build a better future for ourselves, our families and our city following a difficult couple of years for us all.
Merry Christmas and happy new year
