Anne Winter has become Chair of Whaley Bridge Town Council for the second time. Her previous term of office was in 2005-2006. Among her first engagements will be the Whaley trio of summer events, the Water Weekend, Well Dressing and the Rose Queen Festival in June.
Anne in the chair, with the beautiful chain of office and the gavil to keep business moving!
Anne has been an independent member of the town council for nine years. She first accepted an invitation to stand for the council after the sad loss of Stuart, her second husband, who had himself been a town councillor. Stuart died within a year of their marriage at St James’, Taxal.
Yorkshire-born Anne has been a teacher all her life. She taught English and History at secondary schools in Yorkshire, Birmingham and Cheshire, before moving to Zambia with her husband. She taught in primary schools and the Zambia Institute of Technology, during their five year stay there, as well as giving birth to their two children. Next came a year in Bahrain, followed by six years in the United Arab Emirates, where she taught primary school pupils.
2003 was a key year in Anne’s life – not only joining the town council, but volunteering to help out with organ playing at St James’. Anne now plays at eight to ten weddings a year at Taxal, as well as the regular services.
Anne has two grown up children – a son in Macclesfield and a daughter in Sheffield.
What would she like to see happen during her year as Town Council chairman? “Like a lot of people, I should like to see some progress made towards the provision of a second access to the Bingswood Industrial Estate. It’s the key to regeneration in Whaley Bridge and to greater safety for users of Canal Street. It is of real concern to the Town Council that it hasn’t been achieved already.”
Amid council and church commitments, Anne has been a governor of Whaley Bridge Primary School for almost nine years; she is secretary of both Whaley Bridge Amenity Society and the Friends of Whaley Bridge Station.
Completing his year as chairman, Jon Goldfinch said: ” This last year has been a really good year for Whaley Bridge, and Anne, as my Vice Chair , has been right at the heart of all that has been going on. It’s great to have such continuity of purpose, and I believe we enter this year with an excellent Chair with the best interests of Whaley anchored in her heart. I’m really positive about the next 12 months”
Handover time: Jon Goldfinch, outgoing chairman, with his successor Anne Winter
