Mayor picks a local charity for his year
The new Mayor of Merton Councillor David Williams said he was looking forward to starting his Mayoralty with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and Olympics.
Councillor Williams (right) said his chosen charity would be the Wimbledon Guild. He hopes to raise £40,000 for a new disabled access mini-bus.
He also announced that he will set up a trust fund to help a variety of other charities in the borough for his mayoralty and beyond.
Councillor Williams said: "It will be a particular honour to serve as Mayor during this exciting time, 30 years after I first served as Deputy Mayor.
"Since starting at Hatfeild Primary, I've been proud to call Merton my home. As well as belonging to St Martin's Church in Lower Morden, I also serve as a magistrate, school governor and member of several community groups.
"I and my councillor colleagues are all deeply grateful for the excellent work the former Mayor, Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender, carried out on behalf of all the borough’s residents."
During her year, Councillor Lewis-Lavender proudly represented the borough at many civic events, including St George’s Day, the commemoration of Remembrance Day, Holocaust Memorial Day, and the borough’s first marching parade to mark Armed Forces Day 2011.
The former Mayor Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender said: "I had a wonderful year, and one of the highlights has been fund raising for my charities, which came to a total of over £70,000.
"I express my best wishes to Councillor David Williams as Merton’s new Mayor. I wish him a Mayoralty as enjoyable and successful as mine, and know he will have a rewarding year in our borough."
Conservative leader Debbie Shears said: "David has dedicated a considerable amount of his life to improving the borough for its residents. He is well respected on both sides of this Chamber and by many organisations across the Borough. His knowledge of history, the constitution and protocol is an asset to the Chamber and I know his tenure as Mayor will ensure traditions are followed.”
She added that Merton has Mayor Williams to thank for the fact Wimbledon Theatre was not permanently closed in 1980, and that the Canons Leisure Centre was built when the old Mitcham baths was demolished.
May 18, 2012