St Mary Magdalen Hospital was due to celebrate its 900th anniversary in 2020 but had to postpone due to the pandemic. Trustees are hoping to be
able to reconvene festivities this year and are planning a wonderful celebratory day at Castle Park in Colchester later in the summer.
Michael Siggs is Clerk of St Mary Magdalen and a number of other charities too, so all being well, it will be an incredibly special
day for the almshouse movement.
“We are all ready to start enjoying the longer evenings and the welcome of spring. Now that everyone has had their vaccinations we are looking forward to a return to some ‘normality’ and the excuse for a party is welcomed!
Here in Colchester we have had our fill of plagues and civil wars! 2020 was to have been a celebration of ‘900 Years of Mercy’ but we had to cancel. Our jabs may give us hope that on July 17/18 we can combine our celebrations with the beginning of the end of Covid 19 as well as the 75th anniversary of The Almshouse Association.
We also lost friends and neighbours in 2020, not necessarily to Covid 19, but were not able to remember them at funerals. Perhaps we will also be able to raise a toast to their memories in the formal part of the celebrations.”
Michael Siggs, Clerk of St Mary Magdelene