Page 57 - South Issue 12

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abingdon
Abingdon elects new Mayor
At the annual meeting of the Council in May, Cllr Angela Lawrence was elected Mayor
of Abingdon-on-Thames for the civic year 2014-2015. Cllr Helen Pighills was elected
as the Deputy Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames for the civic year 2014-2015. Cllr
Lawrence appointed her new cadets and her escort, husband Steve Lawrence, who
will accompany and support her in her mayoral duties this year.
The Mayors Charities this year will be The Foyer and
the Oxford Food Bank, which delivers fresh fruit and
vegetables rejected by supermarkets to charities who
cook for the homeless or train young people to cook.
Cllr Lawrence is only the second independent
councillor in this town to hold the office of Mayor
since local government reorganisation in 1974. Her
proposer and seconder came from each of the
two main parties of the Council and the vote was
unanimous. Cllr Sandy Lovatt praised her fairness and
impartiality and Cllr Julie Mayhew Archer noted her
passion and spirit in fighting for causes she believes
in.
Angela Lawrence has been a town councillor,
representing Northcourt ward for the last 7 years.
She has always been keen to be involved in the
community, from setting up a playgroup 27 years
ago when it was needed, to being a school governor
at Rush Common Primary School for many years
when her children were pupils there. She is now also
a governor at Fitzharrys school. Angela was actively
involved on the Management Board of Abingdon
and District CAB and is now a committee member of
Friends of the CAB. She is also known to many as the
delightful soprano who leads the singing of Proms
favourites at the town’s very own “prom” at Music in
the Park.
Cllr Helen Pighills also appointed her husband as
escort and joined Angela in welcoming guests to
the Mayor’s reception in the Roysse Room, held
immediately after the Mayor-Making ceremony. Cllr
Pighills is the councillor with the longest continuous
service yet to serve in this capacity, having been
elected in 2010, and her election was also supported
by all parties. As a person not originally born and bred
in the town she highlighted the particular privilege
she felt in taking on this role.