Council worker Sue Keay is gearing up for a 100 mile cycle challenge.

Sue will be joining 20,000 other cycling enthusiasts for the Prudential 100 on July 30 when she will be raising money for the Mayor of Merton’s charities.

Sue, who is a finance officer, expects to be in the saddle most of the day with an early bird start in the Olympic Park. The last riders are expected to finish in The Mall 11 hours later.

She reckons the toughest challenge will be Leith Hill, the second highest point in south East England with a leg wobbling 15 per cent gradient.

The course also passes through Raynes Park and Wimbledon for anyone who would like to cheer Sue on.

Sue said: “I’ve been training for about a month and cycled out to Leigh Hill to ride up it so I know what is in store. It should be a great day and I look forward to riding in a large group.”

Mayor of Merton Cllr Marsie Skeete added: “I wish Sue all the best, hope the wind is behind her all the way and the hills aren’t too steep. I know Merton Mencap and Commonside Community Trust will appreciate her efforts.”

The Pru 100 is part of a wider event called RideLondon, an annual three day festival celebrating life in the saddle.

If you would like to support the mayor’s charities, click here.

Merton Council is organising a peace walk on Sunday 17 September starting at 1pm at Canons Leisure Centre in Mitcham and finishing back at Canons at 3pm, followed by a picnic and speeches.

Mayor of Merton Councillor Marsie Skeete will be leading the walk. Everyone is welcome.

The Mayor will be providing refreshments and a number of community leaders will speak on the day. Names will be published shortly.

Cllr Skeete said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate peace and the diversity in our great borough. I would love to see as many people as possible join the walk. It will be a time talk to old friends and make new ones. It will also be a great way of seeing some of our beautiful green spaces and to share good food with each other.”

Merton Council cabinet member for community safety, engagement and equalities Cllr Edith Macauley said: “We live  in a great borough with people of many different cultural heritages which we should all be proud of. Merton is a great place for families, so if you’re looking for a free family day out which supports a good cause and helps to increase your fitness, then please sign up and get involved. This peace walk is the perfect way to show we are a borough which is open and welcoming to all.”

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To mark London Peace Week (19 – 26 September), Mayor of Merton Councillor Marsie Skeete and Leader of Merton Council Councillor Stephen Alambritis put on their walking shoes and joined around 70 people for a three mile walk through Mitcham, Morden and Colliers Wood. The peace walk called, ‘Merton Mighty Peace and Memory Walkathon’, brought the community together to celebrate diversity, equality and social harmony and raised over £300 for the Mayor’s charities.

Mayor of Merton Cllr Marsie Skeete with some fellow walkers including Deputy Mayor Cllr Judy Saunders (far left), Leader of the council Cllr Stephen Alambritis and Cllr Nick Draper.

One of the highlights from the afternoon was a peace circle where all of the participants joined hands and sang the chorus of John Lennon’s song ‘Give Peace a Chance’. Several messages of peace were left on the peace boards. Alongside Councillor Skeete and Councillor Alambritis, Mayor of Bromley Councillor Kathy Barnes OBE and representatives from faith and disability groups, the voluntary sector as well as the police joined in the walk.

Cllr Skeete said: “It was wonderful to see so many people from across our community coming together to walk through our beautiful borough and celebrate Merton’s diversity. It was also a pleasure to welcome the Mayor of Bromley to the walk. Merton is a great place to live especially for families and we want our children to grow up in a borough that is open and welcoming to all.”

Remembrance services in Merton will be held on Friday 10 and Sunday 12 November.

Friday 10 November services will be held in the following locations:

Venue: Civic Centre, London Road, Morden

Time: 10.50am

Attended by: The Deputy Mayor of Merton, Councillor Judy Saunders, and civic representatives.

Venue: Mitcham War Memorial, Lower Green West

Time: 10.50am

Attended by: The Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete, and civic representatives.

Remembrance Sunday services will be held in the following locations:

Venue: Nelson Health Centre, Kingston Road, Wimbledon, SW20 8DA

Time: 9am

Attended by: Attended by the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete, civic representatives and the Royal British Legion.

Venue: Wimbledon War Memorial, Wimbledon Village

Time: 10.40am

Attended by: Attended by the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete, Deputy Lieutenant, Clare Whelan OBE, civic representatives, members of the Wimbledon Branch of the Royal British Legion and the 210 Transport Squadron.

Venue: Mitcham War Memorial, Lower Green West

Time: 10.40am

Attended by: Attended by the Deputy Mayor of Merton, Councillor Judy Saunders, civic representatives and members of the Mitcham branch of the Royal British Legion.

The parade assembles outside the British Legion Hall, in St Mark’s Road, Mitcham.

The Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete said: “This is a time when residents will come together and pay tribute to the millions of men and women who have lost their lives or been injured since the First World War. We will also remember the dedication and bravery of those who are currently serving in our Armed Forces. I encourage everyone who can make it to attend the service closest to them.”

For more information visit the remembrance page.

Members of the community who dedicate their time to supporting families and young people, improving local areas and driving continuous improvements in our schools have been honoured at Merton Council’s Excellence Awards this week.

In his role as a businessman and local Morden resident, community champion John Merriman has organised and run many events and activities for his local community including the Light Up Morden Christmas event and the Merton Refugees initiative. John’s passion for Morden and his can-do personality enables him to bring people together and work towards a common cause.

John Merriman receiving his award from Mayor of Merton Cllr Marsie Skeete

John said: “I enjoy running my business in Merton and also enjoy getting out into the community and working with businesses and residents to make Morden a place where people enjoy visiting and feel welcomed.”

Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Church from the Metropolitan Police, has been recognised for her hard work making children and young people in Merton feel safe. Chairing a number of Merton partnership groups, Nicola has made a significant contribution to the development of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), protection work with children at risk of sexual exploitation and missing young people and children.

Merton’s recent Ofsted inspection positively mentioned the operation of these groups, contributing to the overall Ofsted rating of ‘Good’, putting the local authority among the top performers in the country. Merton Safeguarding Board is one of just five in the country to be rated “Outstanding” by Ofsted.

Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Church receiving her award from Mayor of Merton Cllr Marsie Skeete

Chief Inspector Nicola Church said: “I feel extremely honoured to have received this award and proud to have played a part in the ‘Good’ Ofsted rating.”

Debbie Fawcett from Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) supports some of the most vulnerable families, placed by other boroughs, in temporary accommodation in Merton.

Debbie Fawcett receiving her award from Mayor of Merton Cllr Marsie Skeete

Families and professionals repeatedly comment how impressed they have been with Debbie’s ability to engage and support people, whilst working with multiple agencies and multiple boroughs. On finding out about her award, she said: “I was so touched to receive an award, but also slightly shocked! I really appreciate it.”

Julia Waters has been honoured for her exceptional work as headteacher of Ursuline High School. Achieving an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating has not stopped Julia striving for continued improvements at her school, ensuring both the school and the pupils are the best they can be.

Julia Waters receiving her award from Mayor of Merton Cllr Marsie Skeete

Julia also finds time to work with a number of Merton schools, in partnership with Merton’s School Improvement Team, sharing her knowledge and supporting them on their improvement journey, most recently as Executive Headteacher of Sacred Heart Primary School. After the ceremony, she said: “I am thrilled to have been given this community award.”

Leader of the council Councillor Stephen Alambritis said: “I’d like to congratulate all our community champion winners. The dedication of Merton’s community is second to none and their tireless work helps the council make Merton a great place for families to live and visit.”

All of the award winners were honoured for their outstanding contribution to the Merton community. The Excellence Awards were held in Mitcham.

Come and support Merton’s entry in the 2018 New Year’s Day Parade at 12noon on Monday 1 January 2018 in the heart of London.

The 32^nd parade is expected to attract more than 500,000 spectators, who will line the streets to watch the multi-cultural and multi-national parade weave its way along the 2.2-mile stretch, starting in Berkeley Street Piccadilly and finishing in Parliament Street.

The theme for this year’s parade is, Showtime, roll up, roll, up to the greatest show on earth! In keeping with the theme, Merton’s entry, Nature, the greatest show on earth, will include fabulous giant puppets from land, sea and air, whilst an enormous David Attenborough lookalike will lead Merton’s entry. Pupils from Links Primary School choir will sing a themed song specially composed by Councillor Linda Kirby for the parade.

Links Primary School recording Merton’s song for the New Year’s Day Parade – Nature, the greatest show on earth.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete said; “I am really looking forward to this year’s celebrations. The parade is a perfect opportunity for the borough to celebrate its contribution to the capital.

I would like to personally thank all of those that have offered their help and support, especially Councillor Linda Kirby for organising the Merton entry and Wimbledon College of Art year 1 students for their work on the magnificent puppets and costumes. ”

Merton won £1,000 at the annual London New Year’s Day Parade which is to be donated to the Mayor of Merton’s charities, Merton Mencap and Commonside Community Development Trust.

This year’s event saw record numbers line the streets to watch the 32^nd parade. Themed Showtime, roll up, roll up to the greatest show on earth, the procession filled the streets of London with dancers, acrobats, marching bands and cheerleaders.

In keeping with the parades theme, Merton’s entry, Nature, the greatest show on earth, finished in 10^th place. Giant puppets from land, sea and air danced their way through London’s West End, led by an enormous David Attenborough lookalike.

Merton’s entry: Nature, the greatest show on earth.

The voices of pupils from Links Primary School choir also entertained the crowds with their specially written song, Nature, the greatest show on earth, composed by Councillor Linda Kirby for the parade. The song was pre-recorded at Crown Lane Studios, Morden a few weeks before the event.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete said, “I am very proud to be involved in such an exciting event. The effort and creativity put into the costumes and puppets was outstanding. I would like to give a special thanks to the students at Wimbledon College of Art for all their hard work and Councillor Linda Kirby for organising the Merton entry.”

Merton Council will be paying its respects to the past and building hope for the future when it hosts a special event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Merton’s commemoration will take place on Monday 22 January from 7pm – 9pm in the council chamber at the civic centre in Morden. Members of the public are invited to attend.

This year’s theme is ‘The Power of Words’ and urges us to reflect on how language may be used for good or bad and the impact that words had in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides . The evening will include a presentation from a Holocaust survivor and contributions from local politicians, community representatives, religious leaders and the Wimbledon Synagogue choir. The event will be led by Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is an occasion to pause and reflect on the distressing events that happened in the past and how we as a society can learn from them for the future. In Merton we have a community made up of people from different backgrounds that get on well together which we are proud of. Civic events like this highlight our unity and we will continue to work together to ensure we don’t stand by and be divided by hatred, discrimination or prejudice.”

An exhibition displaying information about the Holocaust and other genocides is on display in the reception at the civic centre.

For further information on Holocaust Memorial Day visit merton.gov.uk/holocaustmemorialday

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Merton Council is all set to hold a flag raising ceremony to commemorate Commonwealth Day at 10am on 12 March 2018.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete said: “Commonwealth Day is a chance for the community to come together to celebrate the diversity and appreciate the values of the union.”

The raising of the Commonwealth flag on 12 March is just the start of the celebrations taking place across the borough. Merton will also be part of the Commonwealth Big Lunch on Sunday 15 April at Mitcham and Tooting Hub between 2.30 and 5pm. If you would like to be part of this event, tickets are £15 and can be booked through the Mayor’s Office on 020 8545 3517 or email mayor@merton.gov.uk

Lower Morden’s Councillor Mary Curtin will become the next Mayor of Merton at a special Mayor Making ceremony on Wednesday 23 May.  She will take over the role from Longthornton ward representative, Councillor Marsie Skeete who has served as Mayor of Merton for the past year.

Councillor Curtin was elected to Merton Council in 2014.  She came to England aged 18 from Tipperary, Ireland as part of the government’s Windrush call for more nurses and London Transport workers to come to the UK.  She initially lived and nursed at Warlingham Park Hospital working as a mental health nurse and then moved to general nursing at The Purley Cottage Hospital before returning to mental health nursing.

Merton’s Mayor Elect, Councillor Mary Curtin

Councillor Curtin married in 1972 and has 2 grown up children and 3 grandchildren. She loves music and dancing and is thrilled that her children and grandchildren have taken after her in their love of Irish music and dance. She hopes to bring that fun to her year as mayor. She moved to Morden in 1984 and set up a charity due to the lack of community places to go with her husband following his stroke, other than the local pub. This prompted her to start the charity FISH (Friends In St Helier) 30 years ago which aims to engage the over 50’s in all aspects of life and prevent isolation by organising lunch clubs, befriending sessions and holidays.

Councillor Mary Curtin said: “I am thrilled and honoured to be nominated Mayor of Merton for the coming year. I am very much looking forward to embedding into the community a sense of bringing together the younger and older communities to create a unified, warm and friendly Merton family.  I fully recognise the responsibility of being the borough’s first citizen and will carry out my duties to the best of my abilities by serving the community and following in the footsteps of the many great Mayors before me.”

Councillor Mary Curtin was officially elected Mayor of Merton 2018-2019 at the annual council meeting last night (23 May 2018).

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin

Following Councillor Marsie Skeete’s year as Mayor for 2017-2018, Councillor Curtin has been appointed First Citizen of the Borough after being a councillor for Lower Morden ward since 2014. She will be the first Irish born mayor in Merton, who moved to the UK as a nurse from Tipperary in 1960.

The Mayor’s chosen charities for her tenure reflect her aim to shine a light on the younger and older generations of the borough: The Colour House Theatre, a children’s theatre based in Merton Abbey Mills and Morden based charity, the Friends in St Helier known as FISH. FISH is particularly important to the Mayor as it is a charity she started 30 years ago for the over 50’s which organises lunch clubs, befriending sessions and holidays.

Councillor Curtin will be supported by three consorts during her mayoral year including her son, William and two long standing residents of the borough, Marie Bateman and Delores Bisnouth.

Long standing councillor, Cllr Geraldine Stanford from Figge’s Marsh, will support the Mayor in her duties as Deputy Mayor over the coming year. Councillor Stanford will be supported by her consort, Roger Norman.

The annual council meeting also recognised the work completed by Councillor Marsie Skeete during her year in office, including more than £25,000 she raised for her charities, Merton Mencap and Commonside Community Development Trust.

It was also agreed that former Ravensbury ward councillor, Philip Jones will be awarded the Freedom of the Borough in recognition for his long service to the borough at a special council meeting on 12 July.

The Cabinet for the coming year were also officially elected with two new appointments, Councillor Kelly Braund who will take up the position as Cabinet Member for Children’s Services as well as Councillor Mike Brunt, who takes on the role of Cabinet Member for the Environment and Street Cleanliness.

Following being officially elected at the Mayor Making ceremony, Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin said: “It is an incredible privilege to stand before you as the new Mayor of Merton. I promise that, at all times, I will honour the great responsibility you have given me and represent our wonderful borough, and its people, with energy, dedication, and humanity. I’m looking forward to an exciting, engaging, and memorable year as I get the privilege of meeting with so many of the people who make this part of London such a great place to live. I can’t wait to hear the stories, witness the activities, and celebrate all that’s good about our lovely borough.”

Outgoing Mayor, Councillor Marsie Skeet said: “I have hugely enjoyed my year as Mayor of Merton. It was an honour to represent this great borough at so many wide and varied events. I have met so many inspirational residents who do such great work for Merton and the wellbeing of the people who live and work here. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me and helped me raise money for my chosen charities during my Mayoral Year including my family and friends for their love and patience as well as the Mayoral staff for the excellent work they do. Councillor Curtin will do an excellent job as Mayor and I wish her the very best for her mayoralty.”

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Notes to editor

About the Mayor

The Mayor of Merton came to England aged 18 from Tipperary, Ireland as a mental health nurse. She married in 1972 and has 2 grown up children and 3 grandchildren. She loves music and dancing and is thrilled that her children and grandchildren have taken after her in their love of Irish music and dance. She hopes to bring that fun to her year as mayor. She moved to Morden in 1984 and set up a charity due to the lack of community places to go with her husband following his stroke, other than the local pub. This prompted her to start the charity FISH (Friends In St Helier) 30 years ago.

About FISH: Friends in St Helier

Friends in St Helier aims to provide support, dignity, respect, health and wellbeing to active seniors within Merton. FISH engages the over 50’s in all aspects of life and prevent isolation by organising lunch clubs, befriending sessions and holidays and now runs six clubs across Morden each week providing companionship, activities and holidays as well as cooking 535 lunches each year, reaching out to over 131 families every week.

About The Colour House Theatre

The Colour House opened as a theatre in the summer of 1995. The Grade II listed building stands in the picturesque riverside setting of Merton Abbey Mills and has a history of over 500 years, which includes being used by Arthur Liberty to mix his fabric dyes in the early 1900’s.  Today the venue is open for a variety of theatre shows, events, music gigs and comedy. It has become best known for its weekend Children’s Theatre which specialises in producing original musical adaptions of famous fairy tales. Over 20 years the theatre has entertained over 100,000 children, receiving charitable status over 10 years ago.

Merton Council is calling on residents to come along and celebrate the national Armed Forces Day on Saturday 30 June 2018.

Armed Forces Day 2017

This year’s parade will assemble at 9.15am outside the civic centre on Abbotsbury Road and will be inspected by the Queen’s Representative Deputy Lieutenant, Clare Whelan OBE together with the Mayor of Merton, Cllr Mary Curtin.

There will be a short ceremony outside the civic centre in Morden at 9.45am followed by the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag.

At 9.55am, the parade will leave Abbotsbury Road and turn into London Road, Morden. It will march past the civic centre, processioning to the bandstand in Morden Park, where the occasion will be marked by a few words from the Deputy Lieutenant, Clare Whelan OBE, Rector David Heath-Whyte of St Lawrence Church, Imam, Naseem Ahmad Bajwa of Baitul Futuh Mosque and Khum Kanwar, of South London Nepalese Gurkha Association Morden.

People are invited to join the parade or watch from the sidelines. The route will be clearly marked and there will be some road closures in place. Details will be on the Merton Council website.

The parade will be led by the reservists from the 151 Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps from the Army Reserve Centre in Stonecot Hill, together with representatives from several other organisations.

Councillor Dennis Pearce, Chair of the Armed Forces Day Steering Group, who has organised the event said: “Our Armed Forces Parade is a way of recognising all those serving our country. I would encourage all residents to join us in showing our appreciation.”

Refreshments and live music will be provided afterwards in Morden Park around the bandstand.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin presented awards to members of the community and Merton Council’s Business Systems Team for their outstanding work at Merton’s annual council meeting (4 July).

Bethany Grench from Mitcham was presented with a certificate for her courage and swift action, when she used the first aid skills she’d learnt as a London Fire Cadet to help save her mother’s life. The sixteen-year-old found her mother Eileen, collapsed on the floor at home from the life-threatening condition sepsis. After checking Eileen’s breathing, Bethany cleared her airways then called an ambulance. At the hospital Bethany was told that her first aid skills had saved her mother’s life. Fire cadet units meet at certain fire stations on Wednesday evenings where they learn hands-on skills as well as team work and problem solving, communication, and health and safety. The London Fire Brigade junior cadet scheme is funded by Safer Merton.

Mayor Of Merton Councillor Mary Curtin presenting Bethany Grench  with  Darren Tulley Borough Commander Merton Fire Services

The second recipient of the night was Wimbledon based Business Clan, for winning Employer of the Year at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) London awards earlier this year. Beating-off stiff competition from 11 other nominees in the category, the consultancy firm which was setup in 2014 by Delia Portern and is co-owned with Nicolle Anderson, provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for small businesses and start-ups in need of services business strategy, marketing, web design, human resources and accountancy. It was their ethos of inclusivity and flexibility in the workplace that stood out. Business Clan has a culture that is supportive of working mothers and women returning to the workforce after a period of caregiving.

Mayor Of Merton Councillor Mary Curtin presenting Nicolle Anderson Business Clan

The final award was given to Merton Council’s Business Systems Team in recognition of the work they have carried out on street data. The team received three awards at this year’s GeoPlace conference in Birmingham. The awards included, ‘Best in London Region’ which is given to the authority which has attained the highest standard in national tests on address and street data excellence and supply of regular updates to the national hub which manages receipt of address and street data from all authorities in England and Wales.

The Mayor of Merton Councillor Mary Curtin said, “I would like to congratulate all our award winners. It was such an honour to meet Bethany, the Business Clan and the Business Systems Team and present them with their certificates. Their dedication is second to none, and their hard work helps the council to make Merton a great place to live, work and visit.”

From magical forest seating and grass carpets to paintings of beloved book characters, children in Merton can now immerse themselves in the wonderful world of make-believe thanks to Merton Council’s new sensory library.

The children’s sensory library was officially opened by the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin today (Thursday 19 July). The first of its kind in the borough, Morden Library has transformed its children’s area into a space that appeals to the senses: touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight and hearing, all helping to improve communication skills whilst encouraging reading and giving children somewhere fun to learn.

Mayor of Merton, Cllr Mary Curtin and Anthony Hopkins, Head of Library Services opening Merton’s first sensory library.

Sensory resources on offer include:

• Forest sounds and smells.
• Sensory play equipment.
• Magical forest seating and furniture.
• Themed story-times.
• Arts and crafts activities.

Mayor of Merton Councillor Mary Curtin said: “I am delighted to open the borough’s first children’s sensory library. I am really pleased that our children and their families will benefit from this new area.”

Merton Council’s cabinet member for community and culture, Councillor Nick Draper added: “Libraries are no longer just a place to sit in silence and read a book – they are also community areas where people can learn, play and explore. The new sensory library is another illustration of Merton being a great place for families. Our award winning library service goes from strength to strength and we are thrilled that we are finding innovative ways to help children learn to read and build their communication skills, giving them the best foundations to develop.”

The children’s sensory library is part of Morden Library, for opening hours and facilities visit Merton libraries website.

Former Mayor of Merton Councillor Marsie Skeete presented seven charities across the borough with donations on Monday 3 September at the civic centre in Morden.

Former Mayor Of Merton, Councillor Marsie Skeete with representatives from Commonside Trust and Merton Mencap

The two charities the former Mayor supported during her mayoralty, Commonside Trust and Merton Mencap, were both presented with cheques for £6,000. Five other charities also each received smaller donations to help support their work for Merton residents.

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Notes to editors

Cllr Marsie Skeete was Mayor of Merton in the municipal year 2017-18.

Additional charities who supported the former Mayor during her Mayoral year and received cheques:

• BAME Voice
• Christian Care Association
• Merton and Morden Guild
• Voyager Club
• West Indian Family and Friends Association

Do you know an older person who has made a valuable contribution to Merton? If so, Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin is inviting senior residents in the borough to a very special afternoon tea, as part of Silver Sunday, a national event which celebrates older people and the important roles they have in their community.

Perhaps you know a Merton resident who you would like to celebrate? This could be a friend, family member or a neighbour over the age of 65, who may live alone. If so, the Mayor is inviting you to nominate them. Or if you would like to attend, you can nominate yourself.

Afternoon tea will be served on Sunday 7 October from 3pm at Tooting and Mitcham Community Sports Club. The menu includes; a selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and preserves, a variety of cakes and pastries, all to be served along with tea and coffee. The Silver Sunday party will also be provided with dazzling entertainment to enjoy whilst indulging in their tea.

This is a wonderful opportunity for someone who may live on their own to meet other like-minded people in the borough and a marvellous occasion for Merton to recognise and celebrate the importance in supporting the older people in their community.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin said: “I am so pleased to be hosting this year’s Silver Sunday celebration. We can never emphasize enough the fundamental role older people play in society, especially in Merton. Our Silver Sunday afternoon tea is a splendid opportunity in which we can show our appreciation of the contributions they have made over the years and I look forward to hearing their amazing stories.”

To nominate yourself or someone else, please complete the Silver Sunday nomination form and return to the Mayor’s Office, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden SM4 5DX by Friday 21 September. Or contact the mayor’s office:  mayor@merton.gov.uk telephone: 020 8545 3517.

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Merton Council is to hold a number of commemorative events across the borough to mark 100 years since the end of World War One.

This year marks the Armistice Centenary and Merton will be playing its part in Battle’s Over, a unique day-long commemoration marking 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of World War One.

Events will begin on Friday 9 November with the unveiling of a ‘Tommy’, a silhouette soldier, which will stand inside the grounds of the Mitcham War Memorial. The unveiling, by the Mayor of Merton, will commence at 3.50pm next to the war memorial and will be followed by a 2-minute silence and music from the Veterans Choir. Residents are invited to attend.

On Sunday 11 November at 9am, remembrance services will be held across the borough. The Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin, Deputy Mayor Councillor Geraldine Stanford and Leaders of all political parties will attend.

Sunday 11 November:

Nelson Health Centre, Kingston Road, Wimbledon

Starts: 9am

Attended by: Mayor of Merton, civic representatives and the Royal British Legion.

Mitcham War Memorial, Lower Green West, Mitcham

Starts: 10.40am

Attended by: Mayor of Merton, Deputy Lieutenant, Clare Whelan OBE, civic representatives and the Mitcham branch of the Royal British Legion.

Wimbledon War Memorial, Wimbledon Village

Starts: 10.40am

Attended by: Deputy Mayor of Merton, civic representatives, the Wimbledon branch of The Royal British Legion and the 210 Transport Squadron.

A special commemorative event will take place from 6.30pm (11 November) at the civic centre in Morden. Hosted by the Mayor of Merton, community groups and residents will come together, with the rest of the nation, to remember the end of the war and the millions who were killed or came home wounded.

At 6.55pm a bugler will sound the last post outside the civic centre. At 7pm the Mayor of Merton and Deputy Lieutenant will light a Beacon in a tribute signifying the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of four years of war.

Then at 7:05pm the civic centre will ring out with the sound of bells as part of Ringing out for Peace national tribute. Anyone attending the event is encouraged to bring along a bell.

The final two events will take place on Monday 12 November with services held in the following locations:

Merton Civic Centre, Morden

Starts: 10.50am

Attended by: Mayor of Merton and civic representatives.

Mitcham War Memorial

Starts: 10.50am

Attended by: Deputy Mayor of Merton and civic representatives.

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin said: “Remembrance Day is a time for the nation to come together to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for this country. I hope residents will join us at one of the boroughs remembrance services to honour the brave individuals who are gone but certainly not forgotten.

“With this year marking 100 years since the end of World War One, I am also inviting residents to come along to the commemorative event on 11 November at the civic centre. This fitting event will play its part in the nation’s tribute and mark the day when the guns fell silent, with the lighting of a Beacon and the ringing of bells.”

For more information, visit the Merton website.

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Notes to editor:

Organised by Pageantmaster Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, Battle’s Over takes place on Sunday November 11 2018, with events throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and at scores of locations overseas, including New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Bermuda, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States and Germany.

Tommies are a near life-size silhouette soldier and are part of the nationwide campaign There But Not There – a poignant tribute commemorating 100 years since the end of the World War One.

Merton is celebrating another successful year at London’s New Year’s Day Parade (Tuesday 1 January) after winning £5,000 for the Mayors charities with its entry, ‘Merton Welcomes the World’. 

Record crowds lined the streets of London to watch the 2019 parade as it made its way along the 2.2mile route through the city. This year’s theme ‘London Welcomes The World’ was reflected by the 8,000 participants representing 26 nations and 15 London boroughs.

In keeping with the parades theme, Merton’s entry, ‘Merton Welcomes the World’ was chosen because Merton is home to the world famous Wimbledon Tennis Championships and welcomes thousands of visitors from across the globe every year. Two giant puppet tennis players, controlled by talented pupils from the Wimbledon College of Art, showed off their tennis skills whilst councilors, young people from Morden Little League and friends danced and sang to the parade song, ‘Anyone for Tennis’, which was composed by Councillor Linda Kirby and recorded by children from Links Primary School.

Merton’s entry in the London New Year’s Day Parade – ‘Merton Welcomes the World’

Mayor of Merton, Councillor Mary Curtin said, “It was fantastic to see Merton’s entry in the New Year’s Day Parade. We have been taking part in this competition for many years now and the effort that our talented team always put in is outstanding. I would like to thank everyone involved, with a special thanks to the students at Wimbledon College of Art and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Geraldine Stanford for organising the Merton entry. Due to everyone’s efforts we’ve raised £5,000 for my two Mayoral charities.”

Watch footage of the Merton entry making its way through the streets of London.

Wimbledon Park Councillor Janice Howard was unanimously elected to serve as the next Mayor of Merton at a special Mayor Making ceremony on Wednesday 15 May.

The new Mayor took over the role from Lower Morden ward representative, Councillor Mary Curtin who served as Mayor of Merton for the past year.

Councillor Howard, who was elected to Merton Council in 2010, has lived in the borough since 1990. The mum-of-two,  who served on the borough’s Health and Wellbeing Board for the past year is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles to improve the lives of residents.

Councillor Howard, said: “I feel greatly honoured and immensely proud to be able to serve as the Mayor of Merton and follow in the footsteps of the great many Mayors before me.

I hope, during the coming year, to be able to continue to spread the messages on how a few simple lifestyle changes can really impact positively on everyone’s quality of life.

I am also really looking forward to visiting and meeting residents across all the different parts of the borough. Ever since I first arrived in Merton I have been really impressed by the generosity of local people to get involved with voluntary work,  to help the most vulnerable in our community.”

During her long career in corporate conference and events management, Councillor Howard also successfully studied for, and achieved a Master’s degree in operations management.

She said: “I didn’t go to University as a youngster but studied later when I was a working mum so I am passionate about spreading the word that it is never too late to learn new things.”

The new Mayor will be supported in the forthcoming year by her Deputy Mayor, Councillor Edward Foley and her consorts will be her husband Andrew Howard, supported by a their two grown up children Benedict and Isabella Howard. Councillor Howard’s two charities for the coming year are to be Macmillan Cancer Support and Faith in Action.

Lower Morden Councillor Sally Kenny has been elected unanimously to serve as the Mayor of Merton for the year 2020/21 at a special meeting of full council on Wednesday 16 September.

The new Mayor took over the role from Wimbledon Park councillor, Janice Howard, who served as Mayor of Merton for the past year.

Cllr Kenny, who was elected to Merton Council in 2014, has lived in the borough for most of her life. She is currently working with the Initial Teacher Training Programme at Roehampton, and she was previously a school teacher, spending much of her career in several Merton schools.

Having spent a career in education, and as mum-of-two who chaired on the council’s Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel, she is a strong advocate for the borough’s youth. This passion led her to select Morden Little League as one of her two Mayor’s charities.

Cllr Kenny said: “I first saw the wonderful work of the Morden Little League whilst walking my Miniature Schnauzer, Archie, through one of our local parks. Children are dear to my heart, and the Little League brings many of our local young people from a wide variety of backgrounds together in the community spirit of sport.”

The new mayor’s second charity will be the Merton and Morden Guild of Social Service, a local charity who support carers in the borough.

Speaking about why she chose the Guild, Cllr Kenny said “When I take Archie for his walks I meet a lot of my neighbours, and so many of them have become carers for their spouses or other family members at some stage in their lives. Caring for a family member can be incredibly challenging, often you will be the sole carer and have to devote all of your time to meeting the needs of your loved one and keeping them safe. That’s why the respite care offered by Merton and Morden Guild is so vital, it allows carers to have time to themselves to get the little things done that suddenly become so much harder and mean so much more, like going for a haircut or going shopping.”

Looking ahead to her year as Mayor, Cllr Kenny said “With the ongoing pandemic, it’s going to be a very challenging year indeed. I’m looking forward to the challenge of being more of a ‘virtual’ mayor than we have seen in previous years. It’s going to be very different, but we’ll be thinking outside of the box when it comes to this year’s events. One priority for me is to recognise all those people in the borough who have shown real selflessness and community spirit over these last few testing months. I’m very excited to say that we’ll be announcing the details of a project that will do this in the coming days.” The new Mayor will be supported in the forthcoming year by her Deputy Mayor, Councillor John Dehaney and her consort will be her daughter, Amanda Woodman.