Thread by @RachelEden

It is a joy to be the Mayor of #RDGUK Thank you to my fellow councillors and especially my dear friends, @lengmicky and @AliceMpofuColes who proposed and seconded my nomination last night. My partner @REDCaversham will be my escort.
A thread 1/9

The Mayor of Reading should be seen as a friend to everyone who wants the best in our town. Every Mayor brings their own style and priorities. Here are mine
2/9

My first priority is to support sustainability and the drive to net zero. There are no prizes for showing up in a so-called “race to zero". This isn't a race: we can’t win individually. It requires all of us to work together.
(behind the scenes pic here!) 3/9

Secondly I want to see every child to have the best start in life. I'll visit schools and support our youth council and the first of my chosen charities is one close to my heart, Parenting Special Children @PSCRuth 4/9

The start of our lives is important but so is the end of our lives. My second charity is @SRDuchessofKent who do so much to support people close to the end and their loved ones. My dear friend @misslamour is also asking people to share kindness in memory of her daughter 5/9

Sadly, the pandemic is not over, much as I and I’m sure all of us would wish.
As Mayor I will continue to support our community as we face the pandemic - and thank our #NHS and key workers, but also support the recovery 6/9

I believe we are the best town in the country.
Our friendship with the great city of Dusseldorf will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2022. The solidarity shown in 1947 by Reading’s people was led by Phoebe Cusden, the first Mayor of Reading to be described as a red woman 7/9

Our children with many mother tongues play together; we value people of faith and of none; we march in solidarity with our LGBT community.
But while anyone in Reading faces discrimination, we all suffer. @acrereading is my 3rd charity: bringing our communities together 8/9

I'm delighted that our fantastic new Deputy Mayor @AyoCaversham is enthused and excited by these priorities too: we're going to be a great team. I look forward to being a friend to everyone who wants the best for our great and wonderful Reading 9/9

@AyoCaversham PS just a personal thank you to everyone in @readingcouncil, the @readingtownhall team and the amazing @MaBessieBand for making last night's Mayor making so special.