Mayor says goodbye to a busy year at special church service
THE OUTGOING mayor said goodbye to a busy year in her role at a special service at the church.
Hilda Gaddum is a long-serving Sutton councillor who became the seventh mayor of Cheshire East a year ago.
She was the first councillor from Macclesfield to take the role since Cheshire East formed, and said she was pleased to fly the flag for Macclesfield.
Now after a busy year Coun Gaddum, of Hollin Lane, Sutton, who has been a councillor since 1999, has finished her role with a special service.
A special benefice service was held at Sutton St James Church to mark the completion of her year and to thank her for a successful term of office.
The vicar of the Sutton benefice, Rev John Harries, presided while the church warden from Wincle made a speech to acknowledge Hilda’s service as mayor at a reception in the hall.
MP David Rutley gave a further vote of thanks to Coun Gaddum for her year in office. Coun Gaddum, who is a regular member of the congregation, chose some rousing well known hymns, which were sung by the large assembly of fellow benefice members from Wincle, Wildboarclough and Bosley.
Coun Gaddum said that she had enjoyed her year as mayor, although it had been quite busy, and testing at times on the political side of things.
She said: “It was incredibly kind of the Church to have this special service last Sunday, and to allow me to choose the hymns which I had great fun doing. It also enabled my family to join me for the occasion, including Jane, who was my Mayoress for the year, and I do thank the Benefice for its generosity and the beautiful flowers with which I was presented.”
Rev Harries praised Coun Gaddum for her excellent service to the community not only as mayor but also as a councillor representing Sutton and the wider area over many years.
He also praised and thanked members of the community for their service and support, particularly for those caught up in the Bosley explosion tragedy last year. At the end of the service Wincle church warden, Jonathan Marsh, made a presentation to Hilda who was joined by members of her family.
At a reception in the church hall after the service, MP David Rutley gave a further vote of thanks to Coun Gaddum, remarking that he did not wish to miss this opportunity of being able to express his appreciation for Coun Gaddum’s services and advice over the year and earlier in his Parliamentary career, and he hoped that she would continue to be active in serving the community.
His sentiments were warmly echoed by her friends in the benefice.