Helen Simpson, who’s been the Mayor of Hungerford for a record-breaking eight years, last month announced her decision to step down from the Council (along with her long-time deputy, Claire Winser). At a packed Royal British Legion on 17 April, Helen addressed the Mayor’s Reception for the final time. All the HTC members who weren’t on holiday were present, as was the Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire and the local MP Lee Dillon.
Her speech thanked her Deputy, her HTC colleagues, the office staff and – in particular – her family. “While this role has asked a great deal of me,” she said, “it has quietly asked just as much of you.
“There have been so many moments when I’ve been needed elsewhere, meetings, events, responsibilities that pulled me away from home, and I know that hasn’t always been easy. There have been times when I’ve missed things, or when my mind has been somewhere else entirely, and yet you have never stopped supporting me. You’ve carried me through the busiest, most demanding days with your patience, understanding, and love.”
Being Mayor of Hungerford combines two roles: the ceremonial one (such as the Mayors of Thatcham and Newbury perform) and the more hands-on one of being Chair of the Council (which in those bigger towns is performed by the Council Leader). Aside from anything else, this adds up to a lot of meetings – over 150 a year during her time as Mayor, she estimated, at roughly three hours each. Reading and writing reports and speeches, making phone calls and all the rest of it is on top. It may not be a full-time job (and, remember, it’s unpaid) but at times it must feel like one, particularly as a lot of these meetings take place in the evening and a lot of the events at weekends.
Helen also ran through some of the highlights of her time in office including saving the library, surviving the pandemic, refurbishing the skate park and Croft Field Centre, transforming the annual town meetings and finalising the neighbourhood development plan.
“As town mayor,” she concluded, ” you have given me a real sense of pride. You have given me a renewed purpose. You have offered me encouragement, trust, and kindness. You have allowed me to listen….to share in your stories, your challenges, and your celebrations. And in doing so, you have filled my life with joy, laughter, and memories. I will cherish this experience forever.
“I say this from the heart: aside from being a mother to my two incredible boys, serving as your mayor has been the most rewarding experience of my life.”
Her successor-designate Jerry Keates (subject to the election at the May HTC meeting) then offered his own tributes, as well as running through the highly impressive skill sets of his fellow councillors. The expertise on HTC covers conservation, highways, housing, neighbourhood planning, youth work, leisure centres, allotments and the law: all of which are aspects of life with which the Council regularly has to deal.
The praise was not over. At the end of the meeting, MP Lee Dillon explained how he had recently used an Early Day Motion to congratulate Helen for her massive contribution to local civic life. At that point, the Mayor was dabbing her eyes in earnest.
Congratulations from us, Helen, and all the best to your successor. In the next couple of weeks we’ll be publishing an interview with Helen Simpson in which she looks back at her time in office and some of the challenges she’s faced: as well as revealing the all-important matter of her choice of desert-island music, book and luxury object.
