TO mark the end of his year in office the Mayor of Waverley, Mike Band and Mayoress Val Band welcomed guests at a civic reception in Farnham earlier this month.

In attendance at the reception, held at the University for the Creative Arts, were fellow Surrey and borough mayors including the Mayor of Farnham, Pat Frost.

Other guests included the chairman of Surrey County Council and the High Sheriff, who the mayor had the opportunity to work with over the past year.

During the reception guests also enjoyed the exhibition of internationally renowned artist Professor Emerita Magdalene Odundo OBE whose largest artwork to date, ‘Transition II’, is on display in the James Hockey Gallery.

Inspired by water and the flow of the Nile in particular, ‘Transition I1’ has 1,001 individually handmade glass vessels suspended from the ceiling as a wave.

Mr Band said: “The reception was a fantastic opportunity to thank those who have worked with me over the last year. The reception is one of the highlights of my mayoral year and it was good to see so many familiar faces. I am very grateful to the UCA vice-chancellor, Professor Simon Ofield-Kerr, for his warm welcome to the university.”

Mr Band will hand over the mayoral chain following the election of a new mayor in May at the Waverley Borough Council annual meeting.