IT CONTAINS hundreds of years of Southampton’s history – and now you could see it with your own eyes.

Tours of the office of the first citizen of the city take place next week as the Mayor sets out to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

It is one of many events held to drum up cash through the mayor’s annual charity drive, helping a variety of good causes throughout the city.

This year, Southampton City Mayor, Cllr Linda Norris, wants to raise tens of thousands of pounds for three large charities – the Rose Road Association, the Saints Foundation and Southampton Air Cadets.

Cllr Norris also wants to help smaller Southampton charities and ten per cent of the pot will be used for a community chest which smaller organisations can request to go into a draw for.

Eight awards of £250, and 20 of £100, will be handed out at the end of the Mayor’s term in May.

She said the cash was “purely for Southampton charities”.

“The money is for whatever they want to spend it on. I don’t believe in tying it up in knots, I won’t be saying that it’s got to be spent on this or that,” she said.

“Some will need it for a project, some for other reasons.

“These big charities will appreciate the money but £100 is a lot of money for a small charity. If the money is spent properly it can go a long way.”

To help grow the pot, people can get a tour of the Mayor’s Parlour on Tuesday (October 20) at 11.30am.

The tour will be conducted by former Town Sergeant Paul Potterton who according to Cllr Norris is an “expert on all the history of Southampton”.

Linda, who is the 793rd Mayor of Southampton, said: “It’s a tremendously good tour, with a cup of tea or coffee with the Mayor, what more could you want?

“It’s quite prestigious. It is not only a tour of the Mayor’s office, but also the Lady Mayor’s room.

“That’s the room I quite like. They would always go into the Lady Mayor’s Room to relax before big events.

“The history goes back hundreds of years, that what you get with the tour.”

Cllr Norris said there may also be a chance to see the council chamber if it is not in use at the time of the event.

There is a maximum of 25 places available and tickets cost £20. To book, contact the Mayor’s Office on 023 8083 2433. Other dates for Mayor’s Parlour tours are available in later throughout the Mayor's term in office.