Penny Throwing Poet – but perhaps we should throw 5ps!?

COUNCILLOR DAVID THOMPSON was introduced as the 675th Mayor of Hedon for the first time last night by leading the traditional Penny Throwing. There were lots of special guests, including the Chairman of the East Riding Councillor John Whittle.

Taking part in the normal annual scramble for pennies is a generational thing in Hedon – each generation of local children goes through the ritual and the excitement of taking part. Armed with buckets and carrier bags how many pennies can you collect? Later, at the Mayor’s formal dinner, Councillor Ben Hanson spoke about his experience as a child taking part with a friend and collecting only 67 pence! The disappointment, he said, led to his younger self believing that the councillors were all rather tight!

At the Hedon Blog, we would further suggest that with the cost of living crisis – and the fact that they are lighter, and therefore less likely to clobber when landing after being thrown high in the air – perhaps the council ought to use 5 pence pieces instead of pennies? Although for marketing purposes, and quite literally, “5p Throwing!” is just not as catchy!

The fact that our esteemed 675th Mayor is an accomplished poet is a real bonus. And during his address at the civic function, the Mayor recounted one of his early poems about the Town Council. He shared that poem with the Hedon Blog 10 years ago, so we are delighted to republish it here.

One of the Mayor’s guest speakers at the civic function was another fantastic poet, Catherine Scott, and she finished with a poem dedicated to David Thompson called “All Round Good Egg!” – a sentiment we are delighted to agree with.

The Town Council – By David Thompson (April 2012)

Twice monthly do the meetings fall,
Held in the town’s historic hall,
Where mayors of yesterday, look down
Upon the dealings of the town.

The twelve good men and women who
Give free their time, good deeds to do,
With minutes taken by the clerk
And all decisions for to mark.

All interests must be declared
And any prejudices heard,
For all the public has to see
That squeaky clean, they have to be.

They start the night with best intent,
“By ten the meetings will be spent”,
But if at length they ramble on,
It could be later when they`re done.

For all assembled have their say,
And some will say it come what may,
And some say yes, and some say no
When arguments flow to and fro.

Of kitchen costs, burial fees,
Extension plans, and pruning trees,
Deliberations quite mundane,
The rights of way on Twyers Lane.

They set the precept for the year,
For keeping dykes and ditches clear,
The peoples` taxes to disburse,
These keepers of the public purse.

The civic cogs go creaking on
and after all is said and done,
Its down the “Legion”, or the “Station”
For a little lubrication.