Deputy Mayor's Blog: All the fun of the fair and more!

As a Barnes councillor, I was delighted and honoured to open the Barnes Fair in July in my capacity as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames. A long-term Barnes’ resident, I have been visiting the fair for over 25 years, so it meant a great deal to me personally to be officially invited there this year and to have the added privilege of being able to wear the original Barnes mayoral chain. It felt right to bring it home!

The Deputy Mayor's chain, in silver gilt, was formerly worn by Barnes' Mayors before the village became part of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames in 1965. It is made up of eleven links in the form of a tapestry knot, echoing the local tapestry works established on the banks of the Thames in 1619. The knots alternate with lozenge shaped links copied from a design on the font of Mortlake Parish Church, the first Anglican church built after the Reformation. They are engraved with the names of past mayors of Barnes. The badge of office, which forms the centre of the chain, represents the amalgamation of the boroughs of Richmond, Twickenham, and Barnes. Above the coat of arms is a swan symbolising the River Thames, with an eel in its mouth recognising Twickenham's lamprey fishing industry. 

The original Barnes badge, now worn by the Mayor’s consort, has a coat of arms with oars from the Oxford/Cambridge boat race and Prince of Wales ostrich feathers. It bears the motto 'Not for ourselves alone.'  A fitting tribute to Barnes’ community spirit embodied by the Barnes Fair!

The Barnes Community Association have been the masterminds of what is now the largest community fundraising event in the Borough and an important part of the annual calendar of South West London for over 40 years. This year was the 49th  Barnes Fair. The Fair has something for everyone; from live music, dance, and karate to a vast array of food and drink, a wealth of shopping opportunities and the all-important art organisations, voluntary services, and charity stalls. A good portion of the Fair's proceeds are going towards the purchase of a lifesaving new defibrillator at the Castelnau Community Centre in North Barnes which has been spearheaded by Barnes Community Heartbeat. 

Barnes is famed for being a leafy part of the borough surrounded as it is by the woodland of Barnes Common and the Thames tow path. It was therefore particularly fitting that art group Barnes Artists joined the local branch of London Independent Photography to highlight the work of the award-winning conservation group Barnes Common Ltd at its third annual summer show at St Mary's Church Barnes. This year’s show was aptly called Living with Trees and was curated by West End Gallery Partner and Hall who were also guest exhibitors. The exhibition was a heartening demonstration of the inspiration artists draw from nature and that conservationists draw from art. 

I felt both humbled and encouraged by what I saw, as I have been by so much of what I have discovered is happening in this Borough since I became Deputy Mayor, particularly in the voluntary sector. I look forward to what the rest of the summer will bring...whatever the weather forecast. As Dolly Parton once put it:

"If you wanna see the rainbow you gotta put up with a little rain!"

Mayor's charity events

Charity events in September 2023.

Mayor's Twickenham Tour and Tea

Sunday 10 September 2023 - Join the Mayor for a guided tour of Twickenham with tea afterwards at York House. Tickets are £25 and include a special souvenir booklet.

Evening at The Museum of Richmond

Monday 18 September 2023 - A private visit to the Museum of Richmond with an introduction from the curator and drinks and canapés with the Mayor. Tickets are £20.

All proceeds go to the Mayor's charities, Age UK Richmond and SEEN.

Share this