Peterborough supporting the Armed Forces

I was delighted to hear that this year’s A-Level results are above the national average for pupils achieving passes for the fourth year in a row.

With results received from all of the city’s 11 secondary schools who had students sitting A-Levels this year, the overall pass rate has remained above the national average at 98.2 per cent, with the national average standing at 97.6 per cent.

The proportion of students achieving higher grades has remained high, with 44.7 per cent of pupils in city schools achieving A* to B grades, sustaining last year’s improvement compared to 42.4 % in 2016. So I would like to say a big well done to all pupils who collected their results and the their teachers. It’s an exciting time as A-levels open many doors, whether you are remaining in education, taking a training course or entering the world of work.

It’s also important not to worry if you’re unsure about your next move because there’s plenty of advice and support on offer right now.

The Youth Access Hub at City College Peterborough is a good place to start, giving students the chance to speak to careers advisers and a range of providers about their options.

I was equally thrilled to learn that the council has achieved a silver award in the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

The prestigious initiative was launched in 2014 by the Prime Minister to recognise and reward UK employers for their support and commitment to the Armed Forces community.

Silver award holders demonstrate their support by employing at least one person from the defence community and actively communicating and projecting a positive image of the Armed Forces to their employees as we do in the council.

But this isn’t just about promoting the Armed Forces, it’s about providing practical assistance as well. So for example, staff with Armed Forces connections may need to take leave at short notice or go on training exercises and we work to support them.

We employ a number of people with Armed Forces connections and have an Armed Forces Board which organises a number of supportive events, such as Armed Forces Day, a ‘Blitz Bash’ and celebrations for veterans.

This award is a big feather in our cap, I’m proud of everyone who has worked towards it and in doing so helped the Armed Forces to do their sterling work.

If you love Italian food and let’s face it, who doesn’t, then you should definitely make a date in your diary for the Peterborough Italian Festival.

This will be the tenth year that the popular event has taken place in the city, with crowds set to flock to Cathedral Square on 8 and 9 September.

As in previous years, the Mediterranean extravaganza will feature a mouth-watering array of sweet and savoury food on offer, with lovers of pasta, ice cream and confectionery in for a treat. There will also be an Italian market, classic cars and motorcycles, football and boxing demonstrations and much more.

Also returning for this year’s event is celebrity chef and restaurateur Aldo Zilli, famed for his TV appearances and string of Zilli-themed restaurants, who will share his culinary expertise and sign books.

This week also sees the annual Peterborough Beer Festival take place, which always draws visitors from near and far to the Embankment.

We are lucky to live in a city with so many fantastic events going on - these are putting us on the map and boosting local tourism, which is one of our key priorities.

You may recall that we recently invited local traders to take up a stall at the city market for free this month.

Well I’m pleased to report that the initiative has been a success and we’ve attracted three new stall holders who are selling tea, local produce and Nigerian food, adding to the rich variety of products already on offer there.