It’s Local Council Clerk Week!

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Local Council Clerk Week is a special opportunity to celebrate the essential work of local council clerks – and we’re proud to shine a spotlight on our very own Town Clerk, Sarah Dorson.

Clerks play a vital role in supporting and guiding councils across England and Wales, serving nearly 10,000 local councils with professionalism and dedication. Town Councils, like parish and community councils, are the first tier of local democracy, and clerks are the professionals who make them work.

We’d like to join in the initiative to celebrate clerks and thank Sarah for all the hard work she has carried out in her role at Stamford Town Council!

Celebrating our volunteers

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This week is Volunteers Week, a UK-wide celebration that recognises the invaluable contributions of volunteers.

Here at Stamford Town Council, we are indebted to our dedicated team of 11 volunteers who play a vital part in the heritage work that takes place at the Town Hall.

Among our volunteer team are five knowledgeable guides, who give up their spare time to provide informative tours of the building each Friday until November. There is also a dedicated team who support our Heritage and Cultural Officer Victoria Newton, offering their skills and expertise to help with the management of our archives and the preservation of our collections.

Thanks to their hard work and extensive knowledge, we can offer the public incredible access to our marvellous collections and share the fascinating history of the Town Hall across the centuries.

A volunteer lies on the stone floor photographing an old chest, with two studio lights set up nearby.

It’s also important to recognise the incredible contribution made by the numerous voluntary groups within Stamford – thank you to everyone who gives up your time to support others in the area!

Welcome to the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor

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We thrilled to welcome our new Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2025/2026 municipal year!

Councillor Amanda Wheeler has become Mayor of Stamford, after previously serving as the Deputy Mayor. Councillor Jane Kingman was voted in as Deputy Mayor at last night’s Full Council Meeting.

An official inauguration will take place and will be announced shortly.

Join a free tour of Stamford Cemetery

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Join a free guided tour at Stamford Cemetery over the coming months and pay tribute to the men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. 

Led by Commonwealth War Graves Commission guide Steve Baldwin, these tours highlight the identified war graves and memorials to many other casualties with a connection to Stamford who are buried elsewhere. 

Uncover the stories behind the names and explore the history that lies just beyond your doorstep. 

Reserve your spot today by following this link: Booking site 

Leaflet advertising tour details

Best VE Day themed window display

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We’re pleased to announce that Age UK Stamford was recognised as designing the best VE Day themed window display in the town! The incredible window dressing features military uniforms, flags and a lovely table layout.

Thanks to Sinclairs, Age UK, Frothys Coffee Shop, Gladwell & Patterson, and many more local organisations, for creating great displays and hanging out the bunting to celebrate the VE Day weekend.

All your efforts were a great addition to the weekend’s celebrations, and it was wonderful to see so many local businesses take part.

Hostomel and Stamford formally twinned

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The official signing of the Twinning Oath between Hostomel, Ukraine, and Stamford was celebrated before the full Town Council meeting in April.

The signed twinning documents were delivered by Ukrainian filmmaker Natalia Yakovleva, and a special signing ceremony was held at the Town Hall with Twinning Working Group Councillors.

Seven people stand indoors at the base of a red-carpeted staircase; one person holds a certificate, and another wears a ceremonial chain.

A Cooperation Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding and Twinning Oath were drawn up and signed to formalise the twinning relationship between the two communities.

Mayor of Stamford, Councillor Kelham Cooke, said: “It’s a great honour for Stamford to be officially twinned with Hostomel. This partnership is more than just a formal agreement — it’s a symbol of solidarity, resilience, and shared values between our two communities.

“At a time when Ukraine continues to face immense challenges, we are proud to stand alongside Hostomel in friendship. We look forward to fostering cultural, educational and civic links that will strengthen and enrich both our towns in the years to come.”

Thank you to Oleksii Klitovchenko for providing these photographs of the event.  

Stamford’s beacon lit to mark VE Day

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A Beacon Lighting Ceremony was held at Stamford Recreation Ground to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day.

The Mayor of Stamford Councillor Kelham Cooke welcomed the crowd, and there was live music from Stamford Brass. A poem was read out by former poet laureate Rob Elks and a Drumhead Service took place.

Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire Gary Waterfall then lit the beacon, joining the national schedule which saw hundreds of communities across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and Overseas Territories light a beacon as a symbol of unity and peace.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on the evening.

Photography: Larry Wilkes Photography

VE Day 80th Anniversary Event

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Wow – what an incredible day we had celebrating at our VE Day 80th Anniversary event!

This special celebration event was organised to mark 80 years since the end of World War Two in Europe on May 8, 1945.  

People in vintage-style clothing dance together at an indoor event decorated with bunting and Union Jack flags.

Thank you to everybody who joined us for a lively afternoon and evening at the Recreation Ground. The sun shone as we enjoyed an incredible flypast by the RAF Lancaster, fantastic entertainment and plenty of tasty treats. Youngsters enjoyed fairground rides, arts and craft activities, and stilt walkers. There were also military vehicles and historical exhibitions on offer for visitors to explore.  

Large crowds throughout the day watched live music by The Vintage Singers, Wansford Ukulele Folk and Rutland Big Band. It was great seeing so many take to the dance floor! 

Stamford Town Council would like to thank everybody involved in making the day happen, including our performers, exhibitors, food stalls, the WI and Rutland & Stamford Sound for supporting the entertainment schedule at the event.  

Photography: Larry Wilkes Photography  

 

 

 

 

VE Day 80th Anniversary Proclamation

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The Town Crier Andrew Downing read the official VE Day 80th Anniversary Proclamation from the Town Hall terrace this morning.

Joining towns across the nation in VE Day commemorations, the official proclamation was read out at 8am to the assembled crowd of councillors, the Mayor of Stamford Councillor Kelham Cooke, town hall staff and members of the press and public.

VE Day 80th Anniversary Commemorations 

A man dressed in a traditional green ceremonial outfit and tricorn hat stands behind a railing, holding papers, in front of a historic stone building.

The reading is part of Stamford’s commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which will culminate when we join hundreds of communities across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and Overseas Territories in lighting a beacon as a symbol of unity and peace.

Please join us at the Recreation Ground from 8pm tonight, with the lighting of the Beacon taking place at 9:30pm. There will also be an introduction from Mayor of Stamford Councillor Kelham Cooke, a drumhead service, the reading of the official tribute, and music from Stamford Brass.

There will also be a VE Day 80th Anniversary Celebration Event at Stamford Recreation Ground on Saturday, with live music, dancing, food stalls, entertainment, arts and crafts and lots more. Entry is free and the event will be opened by an RAF Lancaster flypast – please arrive by 2:30pm to ensure you catch it. A packed schedule of live music starts at 3pm – we hope to see you there!

 

Volunteer Celebration

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A team of volunteers have collectively given more than 1,000 hours of their time to support vital heritage work at Stamford Town Hall. The impressive total was achieved in the past year alone, with a team of volunteers dedicating their efforts to guiding, cataloguing, researching, and preserving our collections. An evening of celebratory drinks was held to recognise their incredible dedication to supporting and enhancing the heritage offering at the Town Hall, which is home to many significant pieces that form our Civic Regalia, as well as fascinating artwork and the renowned Phillips Collection. Heritage and Cultural Officer Victoria Newton said:

“We are privileged to be able to benefit from our volunteers’ expertise and enthusiasm for sharing their passion for the treasures we store here at the Town Hall, and we’re keen to celebrate each and every volunteer for the support they have shown Stamford Town Council over the years.”