IN ITS annual dash of pomp and circumstance, Wokingham town welcomed its new mayor on Tuesday, May 17.
Cllr Gwynneth Hewetson has been elected by her fellow councillors to be the new first citizen of the town. Her deputy will be Cllr Julian McGhee-Sumner.
The lunchtime ceremony started with the assembled upstanding as the councillors, in their ceremonial robes, walked into the chamber. Their musical soundtrack, See, the Conqu’ring Hero Comes, came from the West Forest Sinfonia. They would also play the Wokingham Song later on.
First, outgoing town mayor, Cllr Philip Mirfin ended his mayoral year with a short speech, in which he said “the past year had gone very quickly” and then paid tribute to those who had helped him, including his Mini-Mayor George Bradley.
A floral tribute to his wife, Kathy, was presented with a kiss. Then came his final presentation, a cheque for £7,450 given to his charity of the year, Macmillan Cancer Care.
Cllr Mark Ashwell nominated Cllr Hewetson for her new role with a warm tribute, praising her tenacity and skills.
“She’s a force of nature,” he joked, adding “for one year only we will be officially Gwynnethed!”
Town council leader Cllr Martin Bishop seconded the motion, saying that Cllr Hewetson is an excellent councillor “who cares about Wokingham” and has plenty of “ideas and enthusiasm”.
While the new mayor was robed up, a musical interlude was performed by Year 7 St Crispin’s student Emily St Clair accompanied by Emma Scammell.
Cllr Hewetson – Madam Mayor as she was then known – came back into the room and made a heartfelt address, without notes, touched with humour, verve and enthusiasm.
“The vision for the town is to keep the vitality,” she said, praising Wokingham and its people, talking through events and initiatives such as the Living Advent Calendar and the Bikeathon.
She added that through all the various initiatives and seeing people come together “we form a community – we end up with a town fit for purpose”.
“If we all work together, it will work really well.”
She ended her address by saying, with a smile, “Have fun in the coming year”.
That sense of fun was clearly displayed as she affectionately kissed her husband Tony on the nose while presenting him with his mayoral consort chain.
Cllr Hewetson’s charity of the year is Soulscape, which works with school aged children.
Her chaplain is the Revd Anna Harwood, associate rector of All Saints Church in Wokingham.
Pictures: Phil Creighton and Tony Johnson
