NEW MAYOR OF EREWASH

NEW Mayor of Erewash Kate Fennelly is a proud mum with a passion for horses – after working as a show rider in her youth at the American Adventure theme park. The keen equestrian has fond memories of the Wild West attractions near Ilkeston. She was even invited to appear on Blue Peter before the white knuckle rides closed in 2007 after almost two decades. Kate went on to join the RAF – and was selected to represent the air force in the international military horse team. After seeing service in the Falklands and Germany she now works as a driving instructor and is councillor for Hallam Fields. Kate was born in Derby. Her family lived in Sandiacre before settling in Ilkeston, where her mother Margaret became a well-known figure in the town. Margaret sadly passed away 12 years ago. Kate is a former pupil at Field House who later attended Hallam Fields and Cantelupe schools. She studied at South East Derbyshire College before her theme park job. Her father Paul ran a very successful repair garage until his retirement.  Kate and fellow councillor Mark Alfrey are Erewash Borough Council’s Armed Forces champions. She has a love for military history, especially the Dambusters. As well as being an active member of the local Royal British Legion, Kate does volunteer work for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. She is a life member of the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct.  

Kate has chosen as her Mayor’s charity the recently-established Forces Veterans Afloat Charitable Trust – which provides canal boats for homeless ex-service personnel to live in. She will also be supporting a combination of good causes in the form of the Mayor’s charity fund. Her son Mason, 15, will be acting as Mayor’s Consort during her year of office. Kate said proudly: “He is the youngest person ever to have held the title in Erewash.” 

A delegation from a Royal Navy helicopter unit that the council has close links to was at Long Eaton Town Hall when Kate was presented with her official chain on Thursday, 16th May. This was so the members of 814 Naval Air Squadron – alias the Flying Tigers – could be granted the Freedom of the Borough to mark the 50th anniversary of the council. 

PICTURED: Cllr Harry Atkinson – now Erewash’s new Deputy Mayor – is presented with top Scout Award in January ‘ambush’ at town hall. The then Mayor Cllr Frank Phillips is seen next to Cllr Kate Fennelly, who has inherited the chain of office  

Erewash Borough Council has got a new Mayor – plus a Deputy Mayor who is just 24 and the youngest ever. Freshly-installed civic head Cllr Kate Fennelly will be assisted over the coming year by Cllr Harry Atkinson. Kate was voted in as Mayor after a year serving as Deputy Mayor to long-serving councillor Frank Phillips, whose term of office has come to an end during what is the  golden anniversary of the council and borough. Harry, who will perform civic duties as Kate’s stand-in, said proudly: “It is a great honour to serve in such a prestigious role. I am over the moon.” 

The council’s youthful new look does not end there. Harry devotes his spare time to the Scouts – and will be enlisting civic-minded members of the local troop to help him in his new duties. Meanwhile Kate’s official Mayoral aide, known as the Mayor’s Consort, is also the youngest ever. She has chosen her son Mason – who is 15. Kate, who served in the RAF, will continue to act as the council’s Armed Forces Champion. She said: “I pay tribute to the fantastic job my predecessor has done as Mayor and look forward to continuing his great work. Mason is thrilled too. Only two mayoral consorts across the whole of the country have ever been younger.” 

The chain of office was handed to her at Long Eaton Town Hall as she and Harry attended the council’s Annual Meeting on Thursday 16th May. The honour for the young councillor comes four months after he was “ambushed” by family and friends who were smuggled into Ilkeston Town Hall to present him with two top awards from the Scouts movement. They hid outside the chamber before bursting in as a meeting got under way. The delegation of around a dozen included members of Long Eaton Scouts and Sawley Explorer Scouts – which Harry has devoted his spare time to as a youth commissioner. 

He was presented with the movement’s highest honour – the King’s Scout Award – as family including his parents and grandparents looked on proudly. It was handed to him by District Commissioner Catherine Halls-Jukes and is the first such badge won locally since the coronation of King Charles. Councillors applauded as Harry also received a coveted Scout of the World Award for helping to raise £27,000 for the local troop to instal solar panels. Harry represents Sawley as one of Erewash’s youngest councillors. Cllr Phillips, who as Mayor was presiding over the meeting, said: “We kept the presentation a secret and he had no idea what was about to happen.” New Mayor Kate is councillor for Hallam Fields. Like her predecessor Cllr Phillips she is proud to work closely with the local branch of the Royal British Legion.