At St Helen’s Church this evening, the Town Crier invited members of the public to the annual mayor making ceremony.

Before the ceremony, Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers danced around the Mayor-elect Councillor Andy Foulsham.

One of Councillor Cheryl Briggs last duties, as mayor, was to present Mr Michael Matthews, Freeman of Abingdon and past Abingdon Mayor, with the honorary citizenship of Lucca, Italy – Abingdon’s twin town. This is for Mr Matthews’s work over the years in bringing together our communities.

Cheryl also presented the first annual Biodiversity Awards to various people, and the mayor’s awards for services to the community to Rita Atkinson MBE for work with the charity Abingdon Damascus and the Abingdon Carbon Cutters for their work over the years.

The new Mayor, Andy Foulsham, has lived in Abingdon for over twenty years and works for Oxford University as an IT manager. He is a governor at Woodeaton Manor School – a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school near Oxford. He has a particular interest in education and is passionate about ensuring that all children and young people have the best opportunities. His charities for the coming year are The Archway Foundation (connects people experiencing loneliness) and Yellow Submarine (autism and learning disability). He has also chosen a theme for the year ‘belonging’.

The new Deputy Mayor is Councillor Gabby Barody.

After the ceremony, members of the public could meet the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor and their partners.