Well, what a year this has been.

While I always look on the positive side of life I want to start this message by expressing my deepest sympathies to all those that lost loved ones, whether that was as a result of the pandemic or any other cause.

Hadleigh was certainly hit hard but the community has shown remarkable resilience and we move on as one.

My year as your District Councillor started as Chair of Babergh District Council, and it was an honour and privilege to be selected to serve in that role for a second year. While chairing the monthly council meetings, either remotely or in person, can be challenging, there was certainly never a dull moment.

The best bit of being Chair though was meeting with people, but sadly due to circumstances I was not able to do as much meeting and greeting as I would have liked.

I was delighted to hand the chain of office on to the new Chair Adrian Osborne, who I know has done a great job carrying out duties in Hadleigh, not least when our town hosted Armed Forces Week, and I'm proud and honoured to continue as his deputy.

Much has gone on in Hadleigh in partnership with Babergh over the year. The swimming pool was completed and opened and has already proved to be a huge success. It was lovely to see the free swims among the Holiday Activities put on in partnership with Abbeycroft Leisure and Active Suffolk.

We also worked with the Fork, on Hadleigh High Street, to fund cookery lessons and participants were each handed a slow cooker at the end of their short course, sponsored by the Rural Caravan.

Other Babergh initiates have included the installation of new CCTV cameras across the town, which go a long way to reassure residents of their safety, and assist the police when those rare unpleasant incidents do occur.

Looking forward to 2022, we should all see the new year as a positive where we hope and believe things will get better for all. I'm excited to be part of a new project with the King Guthrum Group, which I believe will help the prosperity of Hadleigh both in terms of tourism and the economy, and lift spirits through humour and history.

King Guthrum is a shining example of a bad guy, coming good after converting to Christianity, and then bringing peace and stability to East Anglia through Danelaw, and we in Hadleigh should celebrate our ties with royalty.

Finally, you may have noticed that I have not been as high profile as usual for the past few months. Like many people I have been suffering with my health and have had to have surgery. I will require further hospital treatment in the new year.

I would like to thank all those that have sent kind messages of support, the fantastic NHS staff, Ipswich Hospital, Hadleigh Health Centre, my Independent Group colleagues, and my wonderful husband Roger and children.

Even in these times of uncertainty, let us all look forward to a positive, peaceful and prosperous 2022 for all. Happy New Year.

Kathryn Grandon