Year of memories for champions of peace

PRESENTATION . . . New Mayor and Mayoress Councillor Shadab Qumer and his wife Sobia Arshi, with retiring mayor Councillor Derek Heffernan. Right: Retiring mayoress Di Heffernan

THE annual mayor-making ceremony was tinged with sadness as the Mayor for 2016-17 stepped down.

A vote of thanks was given for the retiring mayor Councillor Derek Heffernan and his mayoress wife Di Heffernan.

Councillor John McCann, who moved the vote, said: "When I proposed Derek as the mayor last year we all knew it would be a busy and demanding year, but it was far more demanding than we would have hoped or expected."

He praised Councillor Heffernan's service, morality, commitment to the parish council and other bodies as well as support of the health living campaign, NHS health checks and children's oral health.

Much was also shared about Cllr Heffernan's role as the country's first-ever Mayor of Peace.

Councillor Heffernan said: "Thank you for entrusting the reputation of this wonderful borough to Di and I. We hope we have done our job.

"The standout point for myself was meeting with the two survivors of the atom bombs dropped in Hiroshima.

"To hear them speak of peace was incredible. She came with a message of hope for all, carrying seeds from the trees from the city of Hiroshima.

"All this came about as a result of your decision to appoint me in November 2015 as your ambassador or champion for peace.

"As Britain's first Mayor for peace, I took that responsibility seriously and have sold the message to everyone I met."

Councillor Heffernan has steadfastly served the borough over the last year, fulfilling his engagments without the company of the mayoress in the past six months after she had a fall while on holiday in the Canary Islands.

The outgoing mayor thanked all those who helped him in his role and said the year had been "a wonderful experience in spite of all the difficulties".

The newly mayor, Councillor Shadab Qumer, said: "The role of mayor is extremely hard work and it takes dedication, commitment, love, humanity and so much more. Since I can remember this has not been exemplified more than in this last year. We will not see another Derek and Di Heffernan."