The Bishop of Dudley, Martin Gorick, has backed Dudley Borough’s bid for city status – saying that it would be a big boost to the Black Country as a whole.
Bishop Martin said that a number of newer cities like Sunderland and Wolverhampton, don’t possess a Cathedral, though Top Church appears on the logo of Dudley Borough which also has many excellent and historic churches and other buildings. And he pointed to the borough’s greatest strength – its “honest, genuine, down to earth” people – as being pivotal in swinging the pendulum in Dudley’s favour.
Dudley Council confirmed on Black Country Day in July that it intended to pursue a bid for city status as part of a competition to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations next year. A bid will be submitted in December and Dudley will by vying with the likes of Reading, Guildford and Milton Keynes for city designation.
Bishop Martin said: “I think the City of Dudley has a great ring to it, and I am certainly happy to back the bid. I have seen comments from a few people that Dudley cannot be a city because it does not have a cathedral. But there are plenty of cities without cathedrals, with Stoke-on-Trent being a good example relatively close by. Furthermore, we have a number of excellent churches steeped in history.
“The Borough of Dudley has so much going for it. A proud past, celebrated with award-winning tourist attractions like the Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo and Castle. A history as a centre of innovation and industry. An exciting future, with £1 billion regeneration plans and an educational facility in Dudley College which is inspiring and training innovators for the years to come. Although I have only been here for a short while, I have great affection for the Black Country and its people. Dudley has a proud past, rooted in engineering and innovation. I want the very best for all its people in the future, developing greener, brighter future for everyone to enjoy.
“And that is where our biggest strength lies – in our people. Genuine, down to earth and diverse. They deserve the very best, and the increased opportunities that city status could bring. For that reason, I very much hope this bid will be successful and I will be doing all I can to help.”
A new webpage has been launched giving detailed information about the bid, including frequently asked questions about the reasoning behind putting the borough forward. The webpage – https://www.dudley.gov.uk/council-community/dudley-a-city-in-the-making/ – also includes an email address for people to make contact with their favourite things about the borough.
People can email cityinthemaking@dudley.gov.uk, and also use the taglines #CityofDudleyBid and #ACityInTheMaking to make their submissions on social media.
The deadline for submission of bids is December 8, with the winners announced next year.
