A CIVIC service was held for Cllr Jane Ford, the Mayor of Malton, at St Leonard and St Mary’s RC Church, Malton, on Sunday. Although she is a member of the Salvation Army, Cllr Ford had asked for the service to be held at the historic church. It is the second time in recent years that the church has been chosen by the local mayor for a civic service. The latest also involved Cllr Ford playing with the Swinton Band, a brass band, and performing a solo.

The service involved ministers from other churches in the area including the Rev Peter Bowes, Pastors John and Jenny Boxwell, Elizabeth Ellison, whose husband Major David Ellison of the Salvation Army was unable to attend, and the Rev Sue Sowden as well as Fr Tim Bywater, the priest at the church. Other dignitaries were welcomed by town clerk Mike Shehan. They included Cllr Mike Knaggs, chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr John Pougher, the mayor of Driffield, Cllr Julie Hepworth, mayor of Pickering, and Cllr Natalie Warriner, chairman of Ryedale District Council. Lessons were read by Amos Abrahams and Florence Spaven, the head boy and girl at Malton School, while a prayer was read by Cllr Ford’s grandson, Ben Ford. The address was given by Canon John Manchester of Old Malton who thanked the councillors for the work they do and urged them to build up community life and ensure people could enjoy a quality of life by having vision to improve things for the better.