Last night, Monday May 9, in the first traditional Mayor Making ceremony since 2019, Cllr Lisa Farrell became Marlborough’s 712th Mayor. Lisa accepted the position of mayor in front of an audience of councillors, former mayors, representatives of the community, the Marchioness of Landsdowne (High Sheriff of Wiltshire), and Mrs Ninna Gibson(Deputy Lieutenant).
Proposing Cllr Lisa Farrell as mayor, Cllr Mervyn Hall said, “Lisa was brought up in Marlborough, knows the town well and works tirelessly for the Youth Centre, affordable social housing, the food bank and many other social causes.”
Lisa, who was also Marlborough’s mayor in 2018-19, told the audience, “My mayoral year is all about volunteers. They are a vital part of the community and without them so many charities would have to close. I want to thank them and do my best to support them. Each volunteer is a very special human being.”
Lisa spoke of how moved she had been by the way volunteers had helped the elderly and the vulnerable during the pandemic. She wants to ensure that the Youth Centre continues to provide support for young people and is keen to give young people a voice in the town.
“I want to be mayor to complete some of the projects I started in my last mayoral year and to make Marlborough greater than it already is. Help me to do this.”
A special Mayor’s Community Service Award was presented to two young people – Tia Campbell and Genevieve Hall. Lisa praised both recipients for making a difference and for being an inspiration to other young people in the town. Tia has supported Lisa’s work at the Youth Centre and Genevieve has inspired other girls to take up sport.
Retiring Mayor, Cllr Mark Cooper, thanked everyone for their support during his two years in office, which because of the pandemic, had been anything but straightforward. However, a real highlight had been switching on the Christmas Lights in December 2021. Mark Cooper also presented cheques to the Mayor’s Charities – Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group, Friends of Savernake Hospital and Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Lisa has chosen 6 local charities to support for her Mayoral year – the Jubilee Centre, Friends of Marlborough St Mary’s Primary School, Love Marlborough Kids Meals, Kennet Community Transport, Macmillan and Minal Village Hall.
Next year the Mayor-Making ceremony will be for Councillor Don Heath. Confirmed last night as this year’s Deputy Mayor, he will assume the role of Mayor, subject of course to acceptance by fellow Councillors, in May of next year.