THE CHANGING of the chain took place last night as Coun Kate Fellows took over as the Mayor of Droitwich Spa.
Coun Fellows, who has just completed a year as deputy mayor, and was proposed by Coun Alex Sinton.
He also praised her for her passion for Droitwich, where she had lived for 46 years, bringing up her family with husband Derek.
And he opened his address by providing a few interesting facts about Coun Fellows, including in a previous job she met Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, she was fluent in Italian having lived there for six months and worked as a hairdresser in TV studios.
Her nomination was seconded by Coun Richard Morris who said: “Kate handles herself so well and relates to people – she is a beautiful person and will make a fantastic mayor.”
Coun Fellows selected Derek as her Consort for the year ahead and her chosen charities will be Droitwich CVS and the 2516 (Droitwich) Squadron air cadets.
In her acceptance speech she thanked outgoing mayor Coun George Duffy for giving her an insight into the role, town council clerk Mark Keld and his team Jane and Katie.
She announced Rev Laura Handy as her chaplain for the forthcoming year.
And she said: “I spoke to my granddaughter the other day and told her I thought I was getting too old for this. She said: ‘But you’ve only got a few wrinkles’ – and that will be my inspiration for the year ahead.”
Coun Morris praised Coun Duffy for his year in office.
He added: “George has been a superb ambassador, our youngest ever mayor and has probably had the busiest term with the Platinum Jubilee, the sad passing of our late Queen, the Proclamation of King Charles and the coronation.
“And throughout all that he brought youthful vigour to the role.”
Coun Duffy thanked Coun Morris and reflected on his busy year and a multitude of events.
He said it had been an honour to serve all the people in Droitwich Spa and thanked his mum Lynne Duffy for being his consort and Jane and Katie from the town council for ‘ensuring he was where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there’.
