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800th committee and a long-time supporter of the cause is Sir Robert Milton Worcester, who lives in the picturesque Allington Castle on the bank of the Medway in Maidstone. Kansas-born Sir Robert (pictured)


is the founder of Mori (Market & Opinion Research International Ltd) and came to live in the UK from his native America in 1969. But the purpose of his very first


visit to Britain in 1957was to see for himself a copy of the Magna Carta. He recalled: “My first visit to any museum, gallery or library on that occasionwas to the British Museum to gaze with awe at their copy of the Magna Carta – and my reason for our visit.” When he and his family made the


move to Britain in January 1969, his first weekend in the UK was spent making a pilgrimage to Runnymede, to visit the site of the original sign- ing by King John in June 1215. Sir Robert’s links have continued


to be forged since, during which time he has been awarded the KBE (KnightCommanderof the Most Ex- cellent Order of the British Empire) in 2005, in recognition of the “out- standing services rendered to politi- cal, social and economic research and for contribution to government policy and programmes”. After the sale of Mori to the French research company Ipsos in October


All schools to


receive copies ALL primary schools in Britain are to receive a copy of Magna Carta along with a timelinewallchart and newspaper chronicle charting 800 years in the fight for freedom and rights. The initiative, funded by charita-


ble donations to the Magna Carta 800th anniversary committee, will help teachers and pupils learn about the anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta on June 15, 1215, by King John. Sir Robert Worcester, chair of the


800th anniversary committee, has welcomed the move as the best op- portunity in a century to present young people with an epic narra- tive that shapes our world. He said: “The fight for freedom


and rights and the rule of law is a global story, but one that should be extra special to everyone living in theUKsince its origins and dramas – from the freedom to choose our rulers and religion to the equality of opportunity and the right to live without fear of unlawful imprison- ment – are so inextricably linked to the history of Britain itself,” he said.


2005, Sir Robert became chairman of the Ipsos Public Affairs Research Advisory Board and an international director of the Ipsos group. In 2007 he became senior advisor to Ipsos Mori. A chancellor of the University of


Kent from 2007 to 2014, Sir Robert is an Emeritus Governor of the Lon- don School of Economics and Politi- cal Science and is also Honorary Professor in the Department of Poli- tics and International Studies atWar- wick University. He said: “I am still an American,


and take pride and not a little pleas- ure in still claiming citizenship of the country of my birth. But I also take pride and a great deal of pleasure in now being able to claim British, that is dual, citizenship here. From 1993 to 2010, Sir Robertwas chairman of the Pilgrims Society, an


Man behind Magna Carta cause Exhibition to


organisation which exists to foster and cement good relationships on both sides of theAtlantic. Speaking in 2005, Sir Robert said:


“As chairman of the Pilgrims, which has as its only object the furtherance of Anglo-American relations, I can think of no greater link between our two countries, my two countries, than the Magna Carta.” Now aged 82, Sir Robert is an ac-


tive and well-respected figure in British public opinion research and political circles and as a media com- mentator, especially about voting in- tentions in British and American elections. Heis closely involvedwith awide


range of voluntary and charitable groups, including Protect Kent, the Kent Branch of the Campaign to Pro- tect Rural England. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, a KCC-ap- pointed KentAmbassador and a for- mer non-executive director of the Medway Maritime Hospital NHS Trust aswell as vice-president of the Royal Society ofWildlife Trusts and the United Nations Association. Allington Castle was the birth-


place in 1503 of the English lyrical poet Sir ThomasWyatt and, in 1521, of his son, the rebel leader Thomas Wyatt. It is a grade I listed building. Before being bought by Sir Robert


and Lady Worcester, itwas home to a convent of the Order of Carmelites.


AS Britain gears up to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta – the charter upon which out common lawwas founded – Maidstone can lay claim to putting its own seal on proceedings. Chairman of the Magna Carta


tour county CANTERBURY is one of the UK’s five official “charter towns” and for- mer Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton, seen as the ar- chitect ofMagnaCarta, is buried at Canterbury Cathedral. Faversham Town Council owns a


1300 re-issue of the Magna Carta while The Textus Roffensis, a book of early laws that influenced Magna Carta, is held by Rochester Cathedral. Only recently, the 1300 Sand-


wich Magna Carta was discovered and is now owned by Sandwich Town Council and held at the Kent County Council Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone. Starting on May 23, Visit Kent is


taking its free touring exhibition, Magna Carta Rediscovered, across Kent, the star of which will be the 1300 Faversham Magna Carta. The tour will visit key locations in


Magna Carta’s history, and the ex- hibition will be complemented by different local artefacts at each site. It will be at Kent History and Li-


brary Centre,Maidstone, from July 25 to September 6.


After-school Music inspired by human rights


THE 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta inspired young musi- cians fromacross Kent at the latest OrchestraONE project. More than 40 children aged 8 to 18 took part in the four-day course at


Cornwallis Academy, Maidstone. Project 10, which culminated in a concert for friends and families, was


led by specialist music tutors Joe Browne, Laura Callaghan-Grooms, Bill Clift, Alex Ribchester and Ellie White. Projectmanager Sue Marlow said: “Orchestra ONE participants marked


the anniversary of Magna Carta by creating a collection of original music inspired by the themes of freedom and human rights. “We visited a number of keymoments in history portrayed through the


music of the time, providing a tapestry of genres and styles united by the common theme of freedom.” The award-winning music education initiative is run by Kent Music and is supported by Golding Vision, Kent County Council and Soundhub.


club praised AMAIDSTONE out-of-school club has been praised for offer- ing a range of activities for youngsters. In the Ofsted report on Quackers, based at School House in Peel Street, the inspec- tor noted that staff were friendly and children behaved well because they felt at home and had books and activities. The report added: “Staff un- derstand their roles and respon- sibilities in protecting children. They vet visitors and people collecting children and record children’s existing injuries. “Staff also use good proce-


dures to ensure children are col- lected on time from the different schools and are deliv- ered safely to the club.” The inspector, who awarded


the club a good rating in all cat- egories, suggested that making more space available for floor based games would enhance the setting even further.


Malling May 2015 33


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