THE annual blessing of St Giles’ Fair is one of a number of events which will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Oxford in the coming week.

City councillor Rae Humberstone will take part in the tradition on Sunday at 5pm at St John’s College along with guests from the Salvation Army, St Giles’ Church and the Showman’s Guild.

Mr Humberstone will also attend the historic fair itself on Monday and will make an appearance at the launch of the Oxfordshire Recovery College earlier that day.

The college is a new Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership development in the provision of adult mental health services, using an educational model to support people to become experts in self-care and their recovery.

Deputy Lord Mayor Colin Cook also has official engagements this week.

At 10.15am today he will officially reopen the main hall at the town hall in St Aldate’s following its redecoration, along with Oxford City Council chief executive Peter Sloman and council leader Bob Price.

Mr Cook will then give a speech at the town hall tomorrow on behalf of the Duke of Wessex to mark Merchant Navy Day.

The speech will take place at 10am and the Red Ensign of the Merchant Navy will then be flown over the Town Hall for the rest of the day.