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The London Borough Mayors Project Photographs by Ian Atkinson

The London Borough Mayors 2013 14 Photographs by Ian Atkinson ian isaphoto co uk www isaphoto co uk tel 447971 821107 2

The London Borough Mayors Project London has always been a diverse city with people from all over the world making it their home Based on gures from the 2011 Census 40 of London inhabitants are non White and 37 are foreign born making London the city with the second largest immigrant population behind New York City London has embraced different cultures and faiths with 46 of the UK s ethnic minority population living in the Capital and over 300 languages are spoken From December 2013 to March 2014 ne art portrait photographer Ian Atkinson undertook a personal non commercial project focusing on the diversity of London Rather than personally selecting a variety of individuals for the portraits that would demonstrate the diversity of our capital city Ian decided to approach a group of people who were all undertaking the same role but in different parts of London to show how diverse London is and how diversity has been embraced hence his endeavour to photograph all of the different London Borough Mayors Civic Heads Many people still have preconceived ideas as to who the Mayor is and what a Mayor looks like however by capturing the gurehead that represents each borough the project has highlighted how richly diverse London is and how the Mayors Civic Heads truly represent the genetic make up of London All 32 London Boroughs the Lord Mayor and Mayor of London were invited to participate with Ian visiting each borough independently to take each Mayor s portrait The outcome has genuinely captured a true re ection of the diversity of London with the Mayors Civic Heads being both male and female a variety of ages from different socio economic backgrounds a mixture of ethnicities and a selection of religions Each individual has been photographed in front of a plain backdrop so each portrait has equal weight with the viewer s focus being on the individual rather than the grandiose or not so of the surroundings building 3

HAMMERSMITH FULHAM Councillor Frances Stainton Councillor Frances Stainton was elected to serve as Mayor on 29th May 2013 and has been Deputy Mayor since May 2012 Cllr Stainton is no stranger to the Mayoral chains having served as Mayor in 2011 12 Cllr Stainton rst became a councillor in 1990 and during her council career has served rst as chief whip cabinet member for regeneration and cabinet member for parks culture and heritage She oversaw the regeneration of Fulham Palace where she also held an exhibition of the borough s treasures past and present She has also sent some of the nest pieces from the Cecil French bequest of pre Raphaelite paintings to exhibitions around the world As cabinet member for culture and heritage she was instrumental in bringing Lottery Heritage funding to the borough for the much wanted restoration of Bishops Park Fulham Palace grounds and the ancient moat Cllr Stainton has exhibited her own oil paintings in Paris London and Rome Her late husband was Suffolk MP Keith Stainton The Mayor has chosen Walking With The Wounded Albert and Friends The Opportunity Fund and the Daisy Trust as her chosen charities to support during her mayoral year Speaking about the year ahead and her charities Cllr Stainton said I appreciate the honour you do me with this second term and I shall serve our dear borough with all the commitment I deeply feel This helped by my Mayoress and Consorts who interestingly re ect the multinational multiculture and multifaith make up of H F My Mayoress is Australian Church of England My Consort Comte Edouard de Guitaut is a French Roman Catholic and Prince Mohsin Ali Khan is an Indian Muslim while I am English with a dash of Celtic and French Church of England but believing in the common thread of truth running through all faiths 4

HILLINGDON Councillor Allan Kauffman Councillor Kauffman has lived in Hillingdon all his life he and his wife Lynne went to Queensmead School He has worked in the construction industry for 30 years and she is an education inspector He is very proud of his two sons who attended Bishop Ramsey and now work in architecture and media He was elected as a councillor for South Ruislip in 2006 along with Cllr Judy Kelly and Cllr Shirley Harper O Neill they work seamlessly together and with their team of volunteers work tirelessly for their ward Since becoming a ward councillor he has served on several committees such as Vice Chairman of North Planning the Education Committee plus Vice Chairman of the Residents and Environmental Services Policy Overview In 2008 he became Cabinet Assistant to the Leader of the Council a captivating role however this prevents him from being on any committee apart from Planning Cllr Kauffman is senior steward of his church where he and Lynne were involved in the Scout Association for over 10 years He has also been a governor at Bishop Ramsey School for 15 years He has a passion for music and this year has enjoyed supporting Hillingdon s Music Service and the RAF bands He is also a member of Hare eld Archers and he and Lynne are members of Ruislip Lions charity group Cllr Kauffman said We have both loved our Deputy Mayoral year and have kept a photo diary full of great memories We have met so many fabulous local residents visited clubs schools places of worship and our fantastic voluntary associations in Hillingdon for example the poignant 2012 Kids in Care Awards was one of the highlights of my year as Deputy Mayor We were lucky to get more than 50 opportunities to learn the ropes during the past year During their year in of ce Cllr Kauffman plans to raise money for seven charities He said In this time of austerity we want people who are donating to know exactly what their money is going to buy this is why we have listened to the charities and selected speci c items they need Any additional money raised would go to other local charities previously supported by the mayoralty such as Cllr Yarrow s Food Bank Charity We are keen on sustainability and if possible help these charities continue their good work 6

ISLINGTON Councillor Barry Edwards Barry was born on the 24th of May 1947 a Brocket baby Brocket Hall Welwyn became the home of The City of London Maternity Hospital in the war and remained there until 1949 His father Tom was a hot water tter and trade union activist whose grandparents had migrated from Wales to London in the 1880s Tom s parents eventually settling in Finsbury Park Barry s family including his mother Lily from Leicester brother John and sister Katie moved to Holloway when he was nine He attended Poole s Park and Pakeman primary schools in Islington and Quintin Grammar School in St John s Wood Much later he gained a BA Hons in History and Politics at Kingston University as a part time mature student As an adult Barry has lived in Finsbury Park Holloway Crouch Hill and Kings Cross in Islington and also Walthamstow Southwark and Wimbledon before returning to Holloway with his partner Jenni Chan in 2001 He has a daughter Rowan from a previous relationship He is a third generation Arsenal supporter Barry went to work for the Metropolitan Borough of Islington in 1964 and rst worked in the Town Hall a year later where he struggled to come to terms with accountancy but later took to computer programming like a duck to water Trade unions must have been in his blood as he soon became an activist and took part in the 1974 London Weighting strike before going on to hold a number of union posts in Islington and later Southwark and Surrey County After the 1979 general election he realised the need to be involved in the Labour Party to defend people against what became Thatcherism Whilst south of the river he stood as a Labour candidate for Merton Council before returning to Islington and successfully contesting Holloway Ward in 2006 He is the Chair of Hungerford School s Governing Body and also the Chair of the Friends of Paradise Park He is particularly committed to providing more social housing that is genuinely affordable by the ordinary people of Islington 8

ENFIELD Councillor Chaudhury Anwar MBE In 1966 Chaudhury Anwar came to the UK to take up a job with Pakistan High Commission and as Assistant Labour Attache During the 1971 Bangladesh Independence movement he left the High Commission to take up a job in Oxford as Director of Community Relations Council In 1981 he then moved to Croydon as the Director of CRC In 1983 he joined London Borough of En eld as its rst Director of Racial Equality Council He left En eld in 1985 to take up a job in Waltham Forest where he worked until his retirement in 1998 After retirement Chaudhury Anwar became more active in the voluntary sector and became busier than when he worked full time At one point he chaired nine different organisations stretching from Oxford Croydon Tower Hamlets Waltham Forest and in En eld where he was the Chair of En eld Racial Equality Council En eld Bangladesh Welfare Association North London Asian Care Director of En eld Voluntary Action Ponders End Development Trust and non executive Director of NHS Trust He was instrumental in establishing Cherwell Housing Trust in Oxford which now has over 2 000 units of social housing In Croydon he established Caribbean Resource Centre and in Waltham Forest he was instrumental in establishing and managing the Waltham Forest Asian Centre In En eld he developed En eld Racial Equality Council North London Asian Care and En eld Bangladesh Welfare Association The focus of his Charity Appeal in 2013 2014 will be to raise funds primarily for community organisations in the borough that do not get any funding from any sources and yet provide useful services to the community He has lived in En eld since 1982 and is a keen gardener and likes playing bridge 10

BRENT Councillor Bobby Thomas I was born in Jamaica and have lived in Harlesden and the surrounding area for the last 20 years I am an engineer by profession and work in the public sector for Balfour Beatty workplace I am divorced with four grown up children who all attended local primary and secondary schools before heading off to university As a councillor for Brent I have represented Church End Dudden Hill and Kensal Green wards My main interest has been tackling the borough s housing issues and I was Lead Shadow Member for Housing for 13 years and was closely involved with many of the council estate regeneration programmes I am still on the management board of Willow Housing sheltered housing stock transfer I have spent many years working closely with the voluntary sector thus ensuring the services they provide are t for purpose and at the same time working to the same objectives as the council I have worked well with my colleagues over the years to facilitate inwards investment including the Harlesden City Challenge and the Harlesden Town Team project for the improvement of the Harlesden area My hobbies are keeping t and road running and I have completed ten London marathons raising over 35 000 in the process for the children s charity Dreams Come True Whilst being incredibly proud of the diversity and make up of Brent I believe this is one of our greatest strengths and I look forward to visiting the varied community groups and residents that makes up our wonderful borough The Mayor s chosen charity is Ashford Place formerly Cricklewood Homeless Concern Ashford Place is about supporting change and offering opportunities for positive change Originally started in 1983 by a group of local residents it was created to help people who were homeless and rough sleeping in the area Over the years they have developed specialist projects such as housing advice and health related programmes leading the organisation to become a registered charity 12

LAMBETH Councillor Mark Bennett Sadly Mark Bennett passed away during his term of of ce and the making of this work 14

NEWHAM Sir Robin Wales Sir Robin Wales has lived and worked in Newham for the whole of his adult life moving to the borough in 1978 to work for British Telecom He was born in Kilmarnock Scotland in 1955 and studied chemistry at the University of Glasgow Sir Robin has been part of Newham Council for more than twenty years He served rst as a councillor from 1982 to 1986 and then from 1992 until 1995 when he became Leader of the Council Following a local referendum in 2002 he became the rst Labour directly elected Mayor in England in 2002 He was re elected in 2006 and in May 2010 won his third election increasing his vote by more than 20 As Mayor Sir Robin leads the council in delivering its vision to make Newham a place where people choose to live work and stay He shares the view that work is the best path out of poverty and has committed to helping Newham residents get jobs and have opportunities to ful l their aspirations and potential Sir Robin was part of the London 2012 Board which put in the successful bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Now that the Games have come to an end Sir Robin is leading the east London effort to build a lasting legacy for local people from the 2012 Olympic Games He helped to establish the Olympic Park Legacy Committee now renamed the London Legacy Development Corporation and sits on its board ensuring that Newham residents bene t from the regeneration opportunities that were promised in the London bid for the Olympics In recognition of his services to local government Sir Robin was awarded a knighthood in the Birthday Honours List 2000 He is the father of two children and lives in Newham 16

CITY OF WESTMINSTER Councillor Sarah Richardson Councillor Sarah Richardson was elected to the Council in 2002 and is a Member for Churchill Ward in Pimlico She is the youngest woman ever to be elected to the of ce of Lord Mayor From 2010 2013 Sarah chaired the Westminster Scrutiny Commission and the Adult Services and Health Policy Scrutiny Commission which has been nationally recognised for its investigations into lost cancer referrals and promoting patient safety As Cabinet Member for Children s Services from 2006 to 2009 Sarah introduced the pioneering Family Recovery Programme which aims to strengthen families reduce crime and disorder reduce duplication of resources and reduce long term costs to public services By pooling budgets and assigning wraparound teams to families with multiple problems the project has delivered positive outcomes for children and adults who were formerly trapped in a cycle of unemployment domestic violence and ill health It is an approach now recognised and promoted by national government Sarah also oversaw the establishment of four academies and one foundation school in Westminster and was particularly involved in the rebuild and appointment of new leadership at Pimlico Academy Placed in Special Measures by Ofsted Pimlico was subsequently rated Outstanding after a record 18 months She continues to be a school governor Sarah was Cabinet Member for Leisure and Lifelong Learning between 2004 and 2006 pushing through plans for the new Pimlico Library and Little Venice Sports Centre She has also served as a non executive director of Westminster Primary Care Trust and has twice been identi ed by The Municipal Journal as one of their 40 rising stars under 40 Sarah Richardson combines her council role with her career as an award winning strategic consultant for Endelman the world s largest public relations company She specialises in corporate reputation crisis communications community engagement infrastructure and public health providing senior counsel for CEOs global brands and not for pro ts A former journalist and commissioning editor on the Evening Standard Sarah has also worked for The Telegraph The Times The Guardian The Independent and Vogue She read English Literature at Durham University where she edited Palatinate the University newspaper Sarah is married to Damian Collins the Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe and her Consort for this year They have two young children Delivering Opportunity through Enterprise will be the overriding theme of Sarah s year as Lord Mayor and she has pledged to deliver a Mayoral Manifesto creating opportunities for Westminster residents widening the horizons of the Borough s young people showcasing the best of our City s creative talent and identifying and mentoring a new generation of leaders in commerce and public of ce The Lord Mayor s Charity for the Civic year is The Sir Simon Milton Foundation established in memory of the former leader of Westminster City Council and dedicated to delivering Simon s vision of a caring city that offers opportunity for all 18

GREENWICH Councillor Angela Cornforth Councillor Angela Cornforth has been an elected Councillor for over twenty years and has been proud and privileged to serve as Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich since 22nd May 2013 The Royal Greenwich motto is We govern by serving Greenwich is a multi cultural Borough with a splendid history proud military connections and with a unique sense of time and place Angela has been supported throughout her Mayoral year by the rich mix of charitable organisations faith communities military personnel and tenants groups which co operate across our diverse Borough Angela has worked alongside the Deputy Mayor Councillor Mick Hayes and her consorts Brian O Sullivan and Sylvia Cornforth Together they have supported events in the Borough which have celebrated the achievements of young people and the work of our excellent volunteers which have recognised projects promoting growth and regeneration and which have inspired the community to pull together with courage and resilience in times of trouble Throughout her Mayoral year Angela has maintained her part time post teaching French in a secondary school She has also taken part in fundraising events in aid of her chosen charities Barnardo s and The Prince s Trust Angela has enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life and from a variety of political and cultural backgrounds Her experiences have reaf rmed her belief that civic ceremonies play a pivotal part in reminding people of the values with which we strive to create a happy cohesive and tolerant society values such as working hard aiming high and keeping both feet on the ground 20

KENSINGTON CHELSEA Councillor Charles Williams Councillor Charles Williams was elected on Wednesday 22 May 2013 to serve as Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Councillor Williams was born in Liverpool in 1948 He read Natural Sciences at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge and has worked in the City and for several Not for Pro t organisations He has served as Chief Finance Of cer of the Churches Conservation Trust a charity which cares for over 300 redundant churches and until his retirement in 2013 worked for the British Association of Art Therapists He served as a member of Lambeth Borough Council from 1977 to 1986 Charles Williams was rst elected to the Council in 2006 as Councillor for Redcliffe Ward which he continues to represent He was Vice Chairman of the Planning Applications Committee and of the Health Environmental Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee He has served as a governor of the Chelsea Open Air Nursery School and was the Council s representative on the Council of Governors of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust He is Treasurer of the Brighter Kensington and Chelsea Scheme a borough wide gardening competition which is supported by the Council and a member of the Kensington and Chelsea Community Police Engagement Group Charles Williams appointed his wife June to be his Mayoress they were married in 1998 Mrs Williams worked as an occupational therapist until her retirement and has lived in the Royal Borough since 1970 The Mayoral Charity for 2013 14 is Trinity Hospice On his election Councillor Williams indicated that he hoped to meet as many as possible of those who give their time to voluntary work in the Royal Borough and thank them for what they do for our community 22

SUTTON Councillor Sean Brennan OBE Councillor Sean Brennan has was re elected as the borough s rst citizen for 2013 14 previously being Mayor in 1990 91 and 2012 13 Councillor Brennan has lived in the borough for 35 years and is a retired Deputy Head Teacher of a large South London comprehensive school He was the former leader of the London Borough of Sutton from 2002 12 and a Councillor for 24 years He was re elected to the Council in 1998 and has represented Sutton Central Ward ever since He is now a happy and contented Grandfather to Finn and Thomas During the year the Mayor will support Sutton Mental Health Foundation as his charity 24

CROYDON Councillor Yvette Hopley The Council elected Councillor Yvette Hopley to serve as Mayor of Croydon for 2013 14 The Mayor is the borough s First Citizen and represents Croydon at hundreds of civic ceremonial and social engagements throughout the year Yvette Hopley was born and has lived in Croydon all her life and had a passion for politics from a young age She attended local schools before doing a business course and working in London in the eld of public and government relations for an American oil company for almost 10 years During that time the company developed some of the rst North Sea oil platforms and Yvette was one of the rst women to y out to the Brae A elds when their oil rst came onshore After the birth of her daughter Natasha in 1987 she started a new company in the line of antique ceramics that company is now in its 25th year The freedom of being self employed allowed her more time with Natasha while enjoying the chase of nding specialist pieces for clients She has a long association with the Sanderstead Residents Association and has assisted for almost 10 years with the production of its residents magazine It was at the association s suggestion that she stood for and was elected to the council as a representative for Sanderstead in 2006 Yvette has a keen interest in nance and will relinquish posts as chair of the audit committee vice chair of the pension committee and deputy cabinet member for nance asset management and performance as well as roles on the scrutiny and overview committee During her time as a councillor there has been signi cant change and delivering value for money for the taxpayer has been at the top of her agenda She said It is a great honour and a privilege to be Croydon s rst citizen and act as an ambassador for the largest London borough I am delighted that my partner Christopher Jeffery is going to be my consort and we are looking forward to the many civic functions and celebrations which I hope will enhance the social fabric and attract con dence in the town as the place to be in Greater London When not attending to civic duties I will be enjoying my garden which has been opened to the public by the Horticultural Society and ballroom dancing The two charities I have chosen are the British Heart Foundation and the South East Cancer Help Centre I am particularly interested in both these charities as family members have been affected and required the services of both cancer care and heart surgery I hope by raising the pro le through my work as Mayor to help prevent and ght Britain s biggest killer circulatory and heart disease and to raise awareness for early detection in cancer 26

EALING Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa 28

WALTHAM FOREST Councillor Nadeem Ali At Annual Council held on 23 May 2013 Cllr Nadeem Ali was elected Mayor for the municipal year 2013 2014 He will be supported by his wife Mayoress Mrs Saika Ali by his consorts Mr Umar Ali and Mr Hather Ali and by his civic companion Mrs Edith Poulsen Cllr Nadeem Ali is an east Londoner born and bred Growing up in Walthamstow he attended Mission Grove Primary and Willow eld Secondary Schools as well as the George Monoux College At Willow eld he was captain of the school cricket team He became a councillor in 2010 but had been involved in community work and in particular youth engagement for some years before that Since being elected Councillor Ali has been his party s group secretary and deputy leader In May 2012 he became the youngest deputy mayor in the country As Mayor Councillor Ali is looking forward to representing all of Waltham Forest s residents He said it is an incredible honour for me to be rst citizen of this vibrant and diverse borough I feel very proud of the wonderfully rich and varied mix of cultures and communities that make this such an exciting place to live and work I hope I can make a real difference to the life of Waltham Forest Away from civic life Councillor Ali is a passionate follower of cricket and a noted Nasheed singer sung prayers The Waltham Forest Mayoral Benevolent Fund has been running since 1973 to raise money for the bene t of residents of Waltham Forest Councillor Ali is supporting two causes during his Mayoral year Under the William Morris Gallery Young People s Programme he will be working to provide a range of IT and audio visual equipment and support to help young visitors get the most out of the gallery and its collections and develop new skills in the process He will also be supporting the Gastroenterology and Respiratory Unit at Whipps Cross Hospital Before his grandmother died earlier in 2013 she had to be moved from one hospital to another due to a lack of available equipment Councillor Ali hopes to raise funds to ensure that people have access to the right equipment and receive the right treatment as quickly as possible 30

HARROW Councillor Nana Asante Cllr Nana Asante full name Elizabeth Nana Abena Pokua Asante Twumasi was rst elected as a Harrow Councillor in 2002 Nana was born in Tel Aviv Israel where her father was a diplomat As a result of his career she lived in Switzerland and became uent in French After boarding school at Achimota Secondary School she read French Arabic at the University of Ghana Legon She married in 1980 and has 4 children 2 boys 2 girls and 1 baby grandson Jacob born 15 7 13 Passionate about Social Justice she has a lead role in Harrow s Fairtrade Campaign Nana has an understanding of Community Diversity and Equality issues She is a Community Leader with strong communication skills able to champion the cause of the voiceless in all communities Her work in the community is driven by her Christian faith A con rmed Presbyterian she is currently a member of Stanmore Baptist Church where she is a Fellowship Group Leader and Chaplain of Girls Brigade where she volunteers most Friday evenings The Mayor has two chosen charities Flash Musicals community run organisation offering performing arts to young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and people who are disabled and or have special needs of all ages and also The Harrow Community Choir mental health service users enjoy singing with their families carers and wider community in a friendly and safe environment to build self con dence socialise and develop performance skills breaking barriers of isolation stigma and discrimination associated with mental health issues 32

KINGSTON UPON THAMES Councillor Penny Shelton Councillor Penny Shelton was installed as the Mayor on 8 May 2013 Councillor Penny Shelton was born in Winchester during World War II After the war Penny s father was posted to Cyprus Penny describes her childhood as strange yet marvellous living on a beautiful island among friendly people in a warm climate The Mayor s sister Hilary who is her Mayoress was born in Cyprus some time before the family returned to the UK rst to London later to Gloucestershire and then to Leicestershire Penny left school early to join the Civil Service She studied for a degree at home and later added a higher degree from Birkbeck College London University She moved to London in the early 70 s to take up a post with the Department of Health working on pay and Whitley Council matters at a time of NHS structural reorganisations and when the Unions were marching in the streets and energy supplies were very unreliable Penny later worked in the Department of Social Security on Child Bene t and Guardian s Allowance policy and then in the Parliamentary Ombudsman s of ce on complaints about Tax matters returning to Social Security following another promotion She also had interesting secondments in the area of Mental Health one of which was at St George s Hospital At the end of her last secondment the Civil Service was slimming down and she took the chance to retire early Penny took the opportunity to take voluntary work and decided that the best way to serve the people was to seek election as a Councillor Penny has been a Kingston Borough Councillor since May 2002 and for several years has held Lead Member positions in Housing or in Healthy Living and Adult Services She served as Deputy Mayor in 2004 5 a role which she very much enjoyed She hopes now to draw on all her past roles in discharging her new duties as Mayor of the Royal and Ancient Borough of Kingston upon Thames The Mayor has appointed Mrs Hilary Saw her sister as her Mayoress to support and accompany her to engagements wherever possible Every year the Mayor chooses local groups and good causes to support through The Mayor s Charitable Trust of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames This year the Mayor has chosen two local charities to bene t from the fundraising appeal Alzheimer s Society Kingston branch and Princess Alice Hospice 34

CITY OF LONDON Alderman Fiona Woolf CBE Alderman Fiona Woolf CBE is only the second woman to hold the role of the Lord Mayor of London since 1189 Her theme for the year is The Energy to Transform Lives It covers the Lord Mayor s Appeal and the Power of Diversity the Lord Mayor s Charity Leadership Programme and Tomorrow s City She has an extensive programme of foreign visits covering 25 countries over 90 days to promote the UK based nancial business and professional services sector The messages that Fiona Woolf plans to emphasise during her year in of ce are The world is an economy of cities and London is and must continue to be the City of cities The City has an abundance of two great resources people and access to capital The energy and diversity of the people in its talent pool are key to the City s success The City remains the transaction hub of choice providing services for real long term value creation Fiona Woolf has advised over 28 governments and the World Bank on privatisation and energy reforms She has over 20 years experience in dealing with regulation market design implementation and major projects in the electricity industry culminating in a CBE for her contribution to the UK knowledge economy and invisible earnings Much of her recent work has been for the World Bank on regional markets regulation and infrastructure At CMS Cameron McKenna Fiona has built an innovative energy and major projects practice in energy reforms and infrastructure projects that combines law engineering and economics successfully building on the gaps and overlaps Over the last 20 years Fiona has worked around the globe in India Australia Asia the Middle East Africa Central and Eastern Europe Russia and Scandinavia establishing a unique reputation Fiona Woolf is the Alderman for the Ward of Candlewick Sheriff 2010 11 in the City of London and a past President of the Law Society of England and Wales 2006 7 She is a Senior Adviser with London Economics International LLP a trustee of Raleigh International The Lord Mayor s Appeal and President of the Chelsea Opera Group She is a member of the Council of The London Regiment of the Territorial Army and of the Women s Business Council Fiona studied Law at Keele University and earned a Diploma in ComparativeLaw from the University of Strasbourg She quali ed as a solicitor in 1973 and worked in the corporate and banking elds at Clifford Chance She became a partner in CMS Cameron McKenna in 1981 She was awarded a Senior Fellowship at Harvard University in 2001 2 She has been awarded honorary doctorates by Keele and City Universities and is an Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple She has been appointed Chancellor Designate of the University of Law to take of ce in November 2014 and is ex of cio Chancellor of The City University Fiona has worked on various reform programmes of immense scale as well as being actively involved in smaller community based charities Fiona and her husband Nicholas Woolf have chosen to support the following as the main charities for the 2014 Lord Mayor s Appeal Beating Bowel Cancer which works to support all those affected by bowel cancer as well as improving awareness of the condition and promoting early diagnosis Princess Alice Hospice a charity dedicated to providing free high quality compassionate care and support for patients their families and carers Raleigh International a sustainable development charity that harnesses the passion and energy of young people to drive positive change in sustainable development and Working Chance a charity that transforms the lives of women ex offenders by nding them jobs with quality employers 36

BARKING DAGENHAM Councillor Hardial Singh Rai Hardial Singh Rai came to England in 1963 He is married to Gian Kaur and is committed to his family with three daughters one son and eight grandchildren All his children attended Eastbury Comprehensive School in Barking and went on to gain degrees Born in Bhootan a small village in Nawanshahar district Punjab India Hardial came to England in 1963 to join his father who had already settled here He came with a much valued matriculation exam from Punjab University where he had passed out the previous year Hardial s rst employment was with the William Warne Rubber manufacturing company based in Gascoigne Road Barking He later joined Ford Motor Works working in the assembly and engine plant and quali ed as a supervisor in the material handling department In 1979 he left Ford to pursue his own business an off license and a hardware shop at the Eastbury Shopping Parade in Barking In 1998 Hardial changed direction and went to work for Newham Council in the Customer Services Department a career which he pursued for over 12 years Hardial has been a lifelong support of the trades union movement joining the Transport and General Workers Union at Ford and then Unison during his time at Newham Council It was a natural progression then for Hardial to seek election to the Council of the borough he has made his home and he was successfully elected to represent Eastbury Ward in 2010 Since then Cllr Rai has gone on to serve on a number of committees including the Standards Committee two select committees and the Personnel Board of which he is vice chair Cllr Rai has also invested his time to support his local schools serving as governor over the years at Eastbury and Ripple Primary Schools Away from the Council Hardial has been closely involved with the Barking Gurdwara Singh Sabha since 1971 serving as a committee member and treasurer He is also a lifelong member of the Punjabi Centre in Ilford representing the interests of his homeland in East London Hardial has also volunteered tirelessly for good causes including the Christian Medical College in Ludhiana Punjab as part of which Cllr Rai travels to his home district each year to help dispense free specialist eyecare medication treatment and lenses Cllr Rai also serves on the Independent Custody Visiting Panel a Home Of ce panel that protects prisoners rights and welfare by carrying out unannounced visits to prison facilities The Mayor is supporting Crohns Colitis UK for the year 2013 14 38

BARNET Councillor Melvin Cohen LLB Councillor Melvin Cohen became the 49th Mayor of Barnet after being of cially sworn in during the annual meeting of the council at Hendon Town on 21 May 2013 It is the second time Councillor Cohen has served as Barnet s Mayor having held the role before in 2003 Councillor Cohen is only the second councillor to take on the role twice the last being Victor Usher OBE KSG KGC OSJ in 1969 and 1982 He has represented Golders Green ward since being elected to Barnet Council in 1982 The Mayor has spent most of his life in the borough having attended Wessex Gardens Primary School and Hasmonean Grammar School for boys He has a degree in law from University College London and is currently in practice as a consultant solicitor in Temple Fortune He is a member of the board of governors of Menorah Primary School in Golders Green and a trustee of Edgware Sephardi Congregation Trust During his mayoral year Councillor Cohen has chosen to support two charities Kisharon a charity which assists the Jewish Community by helping to provide support to people with learning dif culties and their families and The Mayor of Barnet s Armed Forces Welfare Fund which helps support members of the British Armed Forces who have suffered life changing injuries while on operations The fund is primarily intended to provide assistance to service men and women with a connection to the borough or the two Territorial Army units based in Barnet 40

BEXLEY Councillor Sharon Massey Councillor Sharon Massey became the London Borough of Bexley s 50th Mayor at the Council s annual meeting on Wednesday 22 May 2013 Her Consort is her husband Cllr Don Massey who works in the city and is also the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Leisure Born in neighbouring Bromley in 1966 Sharon moved to Bexley when she was ve years old Leaving school at 16 Sharon headed for the City NatWest Bank at Bishopsgate in a clerical role but it was only a few short years before management opportunities were presented and at 23 years old she was appointed to the management team as a nancial adviser Around that time Sharon met her husband to be Don and by 1993 they were married It was in 1994 that Sharon left the City on maternity leave and what she did not realise at that time was that her career in banking was already in the past For a while family life beckoned but Sharon clearly remembers a conversation back in the early 90s when frustrated at political events in the UK she decided to stand with her brother Gareth Johnson as a local Conservative Councillor in what was then the Danson Ward Although not successful then the change of government in 1997 once again meant that Sharon felt the need to follow her convictions and in 1998 Sharon and Gareth successfully fought and were elected as Councillors in the Christchurch Ward Bexleyheath Boundary changes within the Borough in 2002 meant that Sharon became a Councillor for Danson Park Ward a role she holds to this day Sharon almost apologises when she talks about her reasons for entering politics as she feels that they might be considered corny but she simply wanted to help make her community a great place where people could be proud to raise their family She has been a Councillor for 15 years and remembers almost everyone who she has met and tried to help during that time Sharon meets residents at monthly surgeries and is particularly interested in Health and Social Care issues within the Borough Sharon was Bexley s Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care Adult Social Care from 2006 to 2009 and this interest has been furthered by her current job teaching the subject to students at North eet Girls School Sharon graduated with a BA Hons in Social Care from Greenwich University in 2010 and after passing her teaching quali cation PGCE in 2011 she gained employment at NEWTEC a subsidiary of Newham College where she had been previously on placement This was followed by the offer of the role at North eet Girls School Sharon has decided to place her career on hold for a year while she carries out the Mayoral role Sharon says I am very much looking forward to getting out into our community in Bexley and meeting everyone I feel excited thrilled attered and privileged to receive the honour of becoming our Mayor I am proud of living in Bexley and I want others to feel the same Sharon has a very personal reason to support her chosen charities for 2013 4 the Diabetic Paediatrics Unit at Queen Mary s Hospital Sidcup and Carers Support Bexley Her daughter Tori was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2007 and the whole family continues to learn how life changes when that illness has been diagnosed in someone you love and care for Sharon and Don have been clearly impressed and moved by the work undertaken by the Diabetic Paediatrics Unit at Sidcup and their aim is to raise the pro le and raise much needed funds to support the children in their care Sharon is also aware of the role of Carers within our community She says Almost every family has to care for someone at some point in their lives and we need to support and help some of the most vulnerable people in our Borough Carers Support Bexley is a wonderful organisation as are many others in Bexley and we will work hard for them and the Diabetic Paediatrics Unit this year 42

BROMLEY Councillor Ernest Noad Councillor Ernest Noad was elected in 2002 in Shortlands Ward He has lived in Bromley since 1996 having previously been a member of Croydon Council for 12 years Since his election Ernest has been a member of Bromley s Executive where he held the Portfolio for Children and Young people for 6 years He has also chaired the Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny committee His interest for children and young people also led him to chair the Special Educational Needs Executive Working Party for nine years and the Safeguarding and Looked After Children Executive Working Party for six years He has also served on a number of other council bodies and committees over this period He has also fought two Parliamentary seats through his interest in politics Born in Lambeth he helped build a family business of 15 retail shoe shops based from Lambeth Walk He then became Sales and Marketing Director of an international footwear manufacturer distributing footwear to Department Stores Multiple Groups and Wholesalers throughout the UK In 1989 he left the footwear industry and trained in Financial Services He worked as a Senior Consultant in two well known national brokerages before starting his own business in 1995 He had of ces in Bromley until Sept 2012 when he sold his business to a PLC He currently works as a consultant in Financial Services with that company Ernest has a Diploma in Financial Planning with the Chartered Insurance Institute and Personal Finance Society Married to Diane since 1981 they have a son and two daughters educated at Hayes and Park Langley School for Girls They share interests in travelling theatre and gardening Ernest also enjoys music playing the trumpet and guitar The Mayor s charity is Bromley Y based in Bromley town centre with hubs in Mottingham and Orpington Bromley Y provide help and support to young people and their families who suffer from depression anger and other mental health issues They operate in 12 Bromley secondary schools 44

CAMDEN Councillor Jonathan Simpson Jonathan Simpson has been a Camden resident for many years arriving in the borough in 1992 to study Jonathan became an elected councillor for Fortune Green ward in 2002 and was subsequently elected to King s Cross ward in 2006 and 2010 He is passionate about King s Cross and is involved in a number of organisations in the area including the Calthorpe Project and the Friends of St George s Gardens He has also served as the Vice Chair of Camden s Community and Police Consultative Group Jonathan has held several council roles from Deputy Leader of the Labour group Chair of the Licensing Committee and Chair of the Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee He led a cross party investigation into road safety in the borough following the tragic death of a cyclist in King s Cross in 2011 He was the Borough s Mayor from 2010 to 2011 Given Jonathan s role as the Borough s Music Champion it is no surprise that he has chosen to promote Camden s music heritage and thriving music scene again during his term as Mayor Camden s many venues are renowned worldwide and have helped develop the careers of some of the brightest and most talented musicians Camden Town with its eclectic music scene markets and unique style is one Europe s most visited attractions We have around 1000 music related businesses and an estimated 7 000 local jobs directly linked to the music industry We have one of the best music education services for young people in the UK which will now be raising funds to maintain their services through a newly established Camden Music Trust In addition Jonathan will be working closely with the Amy Winehouse Foundation AWF to raise funds and promote their secondary schools drug and alcohol education programme Jonathan is supporting the AWF as the Mayor s charity for 2013 14 Amy Winehouse died on 23 July 2011 at the age of 27 and her music touched millions of people all over the world The AWF was set up by her family in Amy s memory It aims to prevent the effects of drug and alcohol misuse on young people and support inform and inspire vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to help them reach their full potential 46

HACKNEY Councillor Michael Desmond Councillor Michael Desmond was born in North West London but moved to Hackney 25 years ago both his parents were born in Hackney He was rst elected to the Council in New River in 1990 re elected in 1994 left the Council in 1998 but was re elected in 2001 nally becoming councillor for Hackney Downs ward which he still represents in 2002 Councillor Desmond worked closely with Robin Redmond a legendary Community Police Of cer to reduce crime and anti social behaviour in the Woodberry Down area the work bore fruit resulting in a signi cant decrease in the crime rate More recently he started Clean Up Clapton which organises the annual Clean Up Clapton day Cllr Desmond founded House the Homeless which persuades investment landlords to house tenants who are homeless or from disadvantaged backgrounds he also chairs Society Syndrome which acts as a think tank for House the Homeless but covers all areas of social policy not just housing He is a Governor of BSix College Proprietor of Airedale TV which runs a comedy website called U Kno Wot I Mean and an active member of Hackney East London Synagogue in London Fields The two charitable causes that the Speaker has chosen to support during 2013 14 are St Mungo s who provides accommodation and support for homeless people in London and the south of England and the Prince s Trust s Fairbridge Programme an individually tailored personal development programme for young people aged between 13 and 25 that combines one to one support and group activities delivered by a dedicated team in Prince s Trust Centres 48

HARINGEY Councillor Sheila Peacock Sheila Peacock is a mother of ve children a grandmother to ten and a great grandmother of ve so far When her youngest child started school she enrolled as a mature student at the College of All Saints on White Hart Lane and quali ed as a primary school teacher She then taught at various Tottenham schools and in 1982 became a Head Teacher again of a Tottenham school On retiring from teaching in 1993 Sheila then in 1994 successfully stood for election representing the Labour Party in the Northumberland Park ward of Haringey a position that she still holds This year will be her twentieth year on the council Sheila was rst Mayor for the borough in 1998 Her special fund at that time was the Breast Cancer Department in the North Middlesex Hospital for which she successfully raised over 29 000 During her rst Mayoralty she started two events which still take place every year The rst event is a Remembrance Day service for children to attend by the war memorial in Tottenham Cemetery This year over 300 children attended from 10 nearby schools The second annual event is for the people living in Supported Housing schemes in the borough Everyone living in the schemes is encouraged to cultivate a small plot of garden or grow owers in hanging baskets or on balconies Last year over 100 residents attended a tea party at which all entrants received a certi cate and a bag of bulbs The winners of the event 12 in all also received a 10 voucher to spend at a garden centre In 2004 Sheila was again Mayor of Haringey and was the rst Mayor to conduct the Citizenship ceremony every Friday in the council chamber Her special fund this time focused on encouraging children to swim with the help of the Tottenham Borough swimming club This year her special fund will be supporting disabled and vulnerable children in the borough Through her interest in the annual Holocaust ceremony of which she is the Chair Sheila has instigated a debate between secondary schools on each year s theme This year the third successful school to receive the Peacock cup was Haringey Heartlands Sheila has been the Chair of the Tottenham and Wood Green Pensioner s Action Group since 1994 which under her stewardship has risen to over 300 members the largest in London As Sheila says if you want something done then ask a busy person 50

HAVERING Councillor Eric Munday Councillor Eric Munday became Mayor in May 2013 He formally took over the chain of of ce from Councillor Lynden Thorpe at the Council s annual Mayor Making ceremony held at Havering Town Hall on Wednesday 22 May Cllr Munday has been a Havering Councillor since May 1978 He was Leader of the Council between 2002 and 2004 and previously held the post of Mayor of Havering in 1985 1986 Cllr Munday said The last time I was Mayor it was a very enjoyable year and I m sure the coming year will be equally enjoyable going around to many of the organisations in this borough His Consort will be his wife Peggy Munday Instead of announcing a Mayor s charity at the start of his Mayoral year he will distribute funds to local charities at the end of his term of of ce 52

HOUNSLOW Councillor Sachin Gupta 54

LEWISHAM Councillor Obajimi Ade ranye Councillor Obajimi Ade ranye was born in Nigeria but has lived in England for most of his adult life He was a teacher by profession has a 1st degree in Chemistry and a Masters degree in Education Administration Education in Multi Cultural Urban Areas both from the University of London Obajimi Jimi to his friends was rst elected a Labour Councillor for the London Borough of Lewisham in 1990 and has represented the same ward apart from a break in 2006 2010 He has served on various committees and has chaired a number of them He has been a school college governor for more than 25 years Jimi is interested in all aspects of current affairs his major concerns being education equalities and justice He reads very widely particularly biographies and enjoys travelling notably to France He is a Friend of the Royal Academy of Arts and a member of English Heritage and the Britain Nigeria Educational Trust He also frequently attends performances by English National Opera Jimi is now in his 5th term as a Labour Councillor In the Council Committee system before the adoption of a directly elected mayoral system in Lewisham he chaired a number of committees sub committees working parties etc the most memorable to him was the Equalities Committee which under his stewardship became one of the three biggest committees in the Council He established the celebration of Black History Month in the Borough As Chair of the Equalities Committee he welcomed Her Majesty the Queen to Deptford during the Africa Jubilee Year Her Excellency the High Commissioner for South Africa Professor Wole Soyinka and Clive Lloyd to the celebrations of Black History Month and the Mayor of Ekurhuleni with whom Lewisham is twinned to the Borough In the current administration he has been the Vice Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee It is a great honour to him to have been elected the Chairman of the Council at the Lewisham Council AGM He will of course endeavour to serve the best interests of all of the people of Lewisham but in addition he believes that he is extremely well placed to promote and strengthen links with black and minority ethnic communities Since he is retired he has an unlimited amount of time to devote to Civic duties and to community events dear to the hearts of the people of Lewisham It is his commitment to ful l the Chairman s role in attending such events in order to demonstrate unequivocally the Borough s support for the people of Lewisham and their concerns and to represent the Borough in the wider community 56

MERTON Councillor Kyrstal Miller Councillor Krystal Miller loves living in Wimbledon She moved here after graduating to experience life in London and decided to stay She is passionate about giving children and young people the best opportunities and has chosen two children s charities to support as Mayor She has been a school governor for many years and a councillor for the last seven including serving as Merton s Assistant Cabinet Member for Schools Her day job is to help people understand their audience and how to communicate with them She is married to Henry Nelless a fellow Merton Councillor Councillor Krystal Miller has nominated Home Start Merton and the Polka Theatre for Children as the charities that she will be supporting during her mayoral year 58

REDBRIDGE Councillor Felicity Banks Councillor Felicity Banks was elected at Annual Council on Thursday 9 May 2013 I have had a lifelong association with Redbridge having been born in the Borough before it was formed I was delighted to begin my teaching career at Barley Lane Junior School and after retiring was persuaded to become a councillor in 1998 It is a privilege to work in the Borough and I am honoured to have been elected as Mayor for 2013 14 I would give special thanks to the three leaders Cllrs Bond Prince and Athwal for their nominations I believe it is the rst time that a Mayor has been nominated in this way I look forward to meeting many of the residents and organisations within the Borough during my Mayoral year The Mayor will be supported during her Mayoral year by her Mayoress her sister Sheila Banks and the Deputy Mayor Councillor Tania Solomon The Deputy Mayor is Chairman of the Mayor s Appeal Committee fundraising for Hopes and Dreams Councillor Solomon is looking forward to working alongside Councillor Banks as the rst all female Mayoral team and she will be supported by her Consort her husband David 60

RICHMOND UPON THAMES Councillor Meena Bond Born in 1965 Meena Bond left East Pakistan during the Civil War in 1971 Initially she lived in Richmond moving to Kew the following year She attended Putney Park School Richmond College and London College of Journalism previously London College of Printing graduating in Business Studies and Communications She had a successful career in recruitment but decided to take a break when her children were born A few years later she started a company called Crafty Kids an after school crafts club She has since sold the business and has been involved with various organisations and charities working on projects where she provided marketing advice and help with fundraising activities Meena is married to Tim and they have three children Her interests are photography particularly birds owers and insects and art She enjoys sailing rowing and walking She also loves music everything from Bob Marley to Black Sabbath Meena regularly attends concerts and music festivals Meena was elected as a Councillor for Kew Ward in May 2010 She served as Deputy Mayor during 2011 2012 The Mayor s chosen charities for 2013 14 are Home Start Richmond a charity that reaches out to families at risk of social exclusion including those struggling with low income disability depression domestic violence bereavement or a combination of factors that can affect their children s welfare and The Avenue Club Kew that provides a social lifeline for older people who want to get the most out of life 62

SOUTHWARK Councillor Abdul Mohamed Councillor Abdul Mohamed was born in Kenya s rift valley to Somaliland parents His grandfather had immigrated to Kenya as a soldier with the King s African Ri es Camel Corps He is married to Caroline McDonald an Australian and they have one son Farah Mohamed They have lived in Peckham for over 25 years Councillor Mohamed graduated from Leeds University in Yorkshire where he trained with the former National Coal Board as a mining engineer He then left to work as a mining engineer in Africa where he spent some time in the Copper belt in Zambia He has also worked in inner city regeneration since the late 80s He has worked for several London boroughs carrying out regeneration work including Haringey and Lambeth Council on various large inner city estates such as Broadwater Farm and the Angel town estate He has been an active trade union member being shop steward UNISON for his Public Service workplace He has been one of the Faraday ward councillors since May 2002 Previously a cabinet member Councillor Mohamed has also been chair of the Walworth Community Council and the Democracy Commission and has served on the New Deal for Communities and Creation Trust Boards He is a keen cyclist who champions cycling in Southwark In his inaugural speech he committed to making less use of the mayoral car and more use of public transport and his bicycle The Mayor s charity appeal is Evelina London Children s Hospital 64

TOWER HAMLETS Councillor Lesley Pavitt Lesley Pavitt has lived in Tower Hamlets for over 30 years and it is a great sadness to her that she wasn t born in the borough She should have been born at the old living in hospital in Commercial Road but her mother got evacuated so instead she was born in a stately home in Buckinghamshire She was a nurse all her life specialising in dialysis nursing After retiring she became more involved in community activities including becoming involved in health politics and Chair of Governors of a local school All this culminated to being elected to the Council in 2010 for Bethnal Green South She considers it a great honour to be Speaker and looks forward to meeting many residents during the year and hearing their stories Councillor Pavitt is keen during her term of of ce to be able to acknowledge the many organisations small and large that contribute to the wellbeing of others in the borough She is especially interested in recognising the older residents who have contributed so much over the years and would also like to get schoolchildren involved with the democratic process and citizenship 66

WANDSWORTH Councillor Angela Graham Cllr Graham trained as a nurse before becoming a medical secretary She has also run an antique shop and successful restaurant with husband John The couple have lived in Ealrfsield for 35 years and have two grown up sons Councillor Graham has been a governor in a number of local schools She was chairman of Elsey School Battersea and of Wandle School in Garratt Lane and at present is a governor at Burntwood School for girls Earls eld and St Anselm s Roman Catholic Primary Tooting She is is a worshipper at St Andrew Church Garratt Lane and sings in the choir She is also a volunteer and assists her husband in his role as Chairman of the Wandsworth Symphony Orchestra Councillor Graham is the chairman of the Wandsworth Young Person of the Year and Junior Citizens schemes and during her mayoral year she will focus on engaging with young people Her charity will raise funds for projects to help young people reach their potential 68

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