Young people toasted at Thetford mayor’s civic reception

Mayor of Thetford, Terry Jermy, with volunteers and police cadets at the mayor's civic reception. They are pictured with the Queen Mary from the Charles Burrell Museum. Credit: Sarah Swift Photography (Image: Archant)

Police and military cadets, young musicians, volunteers and historians were all celebrated and shown off at the Charles Burrell Centre on Friday night as Terry Jermy, mayor of Thetford, held his civic reception.

More than 200 distinguished guests from councils, charities, town organisations, schools and businesses attending the reception.

In his speech, Mr Jermy said the theme for his mayoral year would be 'inspiring young people'.

He said: 'Barriers still exist to young people realising their potential – many of them are physical barriers but there are psychological ones as well.

Mayor of Thetford, Terry Jermy, with volunteers and police cadets at the mayor's civic reception. They are pictured with the Queen Mary from the Charles Burrell Museum. Credit: Sarah Swift Photography (Image: Archant)

'Young people locally often do not have confidence in their own abilities. I remember being told as a teenager myself that young people from Thetford don't excel in life and we're not meant to do well.'

He then introduced six 'ambassadors' for the year - business people, military personnel and volunteers who were raised in the town and will be visiting schools over the next year to speak to young people about their lives.

Mr Jermy said he hoped the ambassadors would show young people in the town 'what is possible'.