20052021

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Thursday, May 20, 2021

Newbury Weekly News

THATCHAM NEWS

New mayor John Boyd: ‘Great honour indeed’ Predecessor Mike Cole stayed in office for two years due to pandemic

or, with Mr Cole saying he was highly experienced and knowledgeable, whose pas- sion and drive to improve the town would be a fantastic sup- port to Mr Boyd. In his retirement speech, Mr Cole said: “It’s been an absolute honour to be mayor for an extended period of two years in what’s been an in- credibly challenging time.” He said that being mayor of his town was the best job in the world, and praised town council officers for their work during the pandemic with or- ganising volunteers and co-or- dinating with the West Berk- shire Community Hub – doing things way outside their job description, superbly lead by town clerk Mel Taylor. Mr Cole thanked the com- munity for its response to the pandemic and the work of Thatcham’s clubs, socie- ties and charities to build the strong community spirit in the town. David Lister remains as town council leader, with Mr Jeffery replacing Jennifer Walker as deputy.

THATCHAM has a familiar face as its new mayor with John Boyd being elected to wear the civic chain for a second time. Mr Boyd (Lib Dem, That- chamColthropandCrookham) has been deputy mayor for two years and takes over from Mike Cole, who stayed on for a second year during the coro- navirus pandemic. Mr Boyd, who served as mayor from 2012-13, said on being elected again that “the honour is not something that has passed me by”. “I really consider this posi- tion a great honour indeed,” he said. “It’s something that when you undertake the du- ties of mayor you see parts of the town and people that you just would not have seen oth- erwise, and that’s something that I’m very much looking forward to.” Mr Boyd said that the town had faced challenges in the last year but felt fortunate to have a mayor of Mr Cole’s ability in the role at such a crucial time.

Cubs at Angel Corner learn to make camp fires

Ref: 20-1021B

Scout leaders needed A THATCHAM Scout group is on the hunt for new lead- ers. “If we can’t get the volun- teers we will seriously need to consider running sections on alternate weeks so that lead- ers can keep things going.

The 1st Thatcham Scout Group currently has five lead- ers to assist 54 young people across its Beavers, Cubs and Scouts sections. Scout leader Nick Forbes said the unit was looking for enthusiastic people aged over 18, who would enjoy working with young people. He said that some leaders had left having “lost their jobs during the pandemic and moved out the area”. “We have done really well keeping our young people, but now we are meeting face-to- face we need more adults to meet safeguarding ratios and we just haven’t got them,” he said.

“At the moment we are hav- ing to restrict the numbers because we don’t have enough adults.” Mr Forbes said it was more than map reading and knots, adding: “Most of what we do is hands on and we are trying to teach the young people life skills and have a lot of fun and it can be very satisfying.” The unit meets on Mondays from 6pm until 7.30pm and be- tween 5.30pm and 6.30pm and 7.30pm and 9pm on Tuesdays. Contact info@1st-thatcham. org.uk or visit the 1st That- cham Scout Group Facebook page for more information.

Thatcham mayor John Boyd with deputy mayor Jeff Brooks

He hoped for a steady road out of the pandemic that would “allow us to see the great com- munity spirit that lives within our town”. Mr Boyd has chosen Swings & Smiles and community non-profit organisation That- cham Town Cricket Club as his chosen charities. His daughter Kellie will be his mayoress and pastor and team leader at Thatcham Bap- tist Church, David Taylor, his chaplain.

Proposing Mr Boyd as may- or, Owen Jeffery (Lib Dem, Thatcham Central) said: “John can say something that not many of us in this cham- ber can say. John was born and bred in Thatcham. “John cares about people. He’s generous in his assess- ment of people, he’s commit- ted to this town, the town of his birth – Thatcham.” Veteran councillor Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) was elected deputy may-

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