􀁥SEPTEMBER has traditionally been an epic time in many respects, as demonstrated by the tides of history.

The Second World War broke out on the third of that month, the battles of Dunbar and Worcester both took place on that date… and Oliver Cromwell also died on the anniversary of these great parliamentarian victories.

Worcester appears to have grown to like the Lord Protector a little bit more in recent times. Perhaps the effigy of the great man – pinned by his ears to the Guildhall – will one day be seen for what it really is, a centuries-old chunk of royalist propaganda that is the basis of the ludicrous ‘Faithful City’ myth.

Two men who might complete this rehabilitation are Battle of Worcester chairman Ben Humphrey and the gloriously authentic Kevin Corcoran, ‘priest’ to the New Model Army.

Now that our swords have been turned into ploughshares, we can perhaps relax slightly while these two great leaders of men guide us into a new golden age… one that truly recognises Worcester’s pivotal place in history.

􀁥WORCESTER’S got a lot going on these days and the role of re-enactors is a major factor in this success.

No one who witnessed it could possibly forget the sight in High Street earlier this month when several hundred ‘soldiers’ marched to the cathedral, colours flying and drums thundering.

Such displays perfectly complement the work of Paul Harding and Helen Lee, who run Discover History, an organisation that brings the past to life all year round, come rain or shine.

The couple have worked tirelessly over the last few years and must have generated vast amounts of income and tourism potential for the city.

At the moment, they are expanding their work, so please support them all you can. For if Worcester’s future does indeed lie in becoming a premier tourism destination, then it’s people like Paul and Helen who hold the key.

􀁥WHOLE streets become almost devoid of cars, a weather condition called ‘close’ descends on the land, there seems to be nothing to talk about and fewer people to talk to.

In fact, even the birds seem to have gone on holiday by September, as they slink and creep about the shrubbery to hide their annual moult from a hawk’s prying eyes.

It’s said that January is a dead month. But it’s got absolutely nothing on September.