THE mayor of Worcester used his inaugural banquet to turn a spotlight on what he feels passionately about.

Councillor Andy Roberts welcomed 140 guests to the Guildhall on Saturday night to celebrate his mayoral year and look forward to the months ahead. Speakers Kevin Ward, editor of your Worcester News, and Sarah Falkland, BBC Midlands Today presenter, talked about the importance of local media, but Coun Roberts said the real “stars of the show” were Sally-Ann Grainger, the Worcester mum who recently underwent a double lung transplant, and local woman Maureen Evans, who was named 2009 Midlands Carer of the Year.

“It’s normally quite a formal event but I wanted to focus on the three things I feel strongly about: the importance of local media, recognising the visit of [US presidents] Thomas Jefferson and John Adams to Worcester in 1786 and reclaiming the flag of St George from the louts and bigots.

The banquet was held in the hall’s assembly room and guests included 17 mayors, civic dignitaries from neighbouring councils, city councillors and guests from business and the voluntary sector.