Councillor Glenys Falconer has been appointed as Chesterfield’s 380th Mayor.
Interview with the new Mayor of Chesterfield - Cllr Glenys Falconer
Q First of all congratulations on being elected as Mayor of Chesterfield. What does that mean to you?
Glenys - I hope as Mayor I can promote the Borough and the Mayoralty and in doing so bring some cheer during this unhappy period we are going through.
I'm really looking forward to taking on this role as I will be the 4th female Lib Dem Mayor in 15 years after June Beckenham (who then became the first Alderwoman), Trudy Mulcaster and Maureen Davenport. I'm walking in the footsteps of Violet Markham and Florence Robinson, so I want to be a positive role model for my female colleagues to encourage them to take up positions of authority when it is offered.
Q How do you get to be the Mayor of Chesterfield?
Glenys - The position is offered to the longest serving Councillor who has not been Mayor before and if there are several Councillors eligible for the role at the same time, the selection is based on alphabetical order.
I will be the 380th Mayor and with Keith as my Consort, we will be the 1st Lib Dem couple who have both been Mayors. Keith was Mayor in 2005-2006 so we are very proud of our contribution to the Mayoralty.
Q It must have been very difficult to decide on the charities you are going to support?
Glenys - After a lot of thought I selected The Samaritans and The Volunteer Centre both of which have not been chosen by previous Mayors.
The Volunteer Centre is one because they use Rose Hill Church for their Be-Friending Service. Through helping them with this for several years it has made me realise how many lonely people benefit from this support. And the Volunteer Centre needs all the financial help it can get for that service to continue
I chose the Samaritans because having experienced the effects of suicide in our family I wanted to highlight their work so hopefully more people will ring them to get help and advice to prevent other people suffering a loss like we did.
Q If you could invite a famous politician from the past or current times, who would you invite to dinner and why ?
Glenys - My first invitee would be Baroness Shirley Williams Liberal Democrat, 50 years in politics and a Christian. She was the first woman politician who impressed me and she has a great sense of humour.
Baroness Floella Benjamin would be my next choice. Born in Trinidad and a member of the Windrush generation she started her career working in a bank, became an actor singer and then a presenter in children's TV. I always enjoyed watching her in Play School and Play Away with my Children.
My last choice is Mark Steel, a political comedian and broadcaster. I find him passionate about his ideas but very funny. I heard him on Radio 4 he was visiting various towns appeared to make a quick assessment in his visits especially the more amusing attributes which meet the approval of the local audience
I think you'll agree it would be a very entertaining dinner.
Thank You so much Glenys for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. We all hope you enjoy being the First Citizen of Chesterfield and raise lots of money to help your chosen charities.
Interviewed by Shirley Niblock, Equality and Diversity Lead for Chesterfield Liberal Democrats
notes :
As a Liberal Democrat Councillor, Glenys represents Holmebrook Ward and has served as a councillor for a total of 13 years having first been elected in 1999. She has been a member of the Appeals and Regulatory Committee as well as the Planning Committee.
After a varied career that included working as a childminder for over a decade, Glenys who is now retired, volunteers as a befriender and sits on the board of local charity Hope Springs. In her spare time, she sings with the choir at the Royal Hospital and spends as much time as possible with her 16 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
She is married to Councillor Keith Falconer who has previously served as Mayor of Chesterfield.