Councillor Jenny Flood has begun her term of office as Chesterfield’s 383rd Mayor, taking over the position as the borough’s civic head for the coming year.
Cllr Flood was sworn in at Chesterfield Borough Council’s Annual Council Meeting on Wednesday 8 May, with a Civic Parade on Saturday 11 May.
Councillor Flood’s friend and Community Liaison Officer Heather Hopkinson takes on the role of Mayoress. Cllr Barry Dyke has been appointed as Deputy Mayor with his with wife Marie Dyke serving as Deputy Mayoress.
Chesterfield residents are invited to come and celebrate Chesterfield’s new Mayor at the annual Civic Parade which will take place from 10.15am on Saturday 11 May in the town centre.
Councillor Flood, said: “It is a wonderful honour to be Chesterfield’s Mayor, I look forward to getting around the borough and meeting local residents and celebrating our community. I’m also pleased to be able to use my position to raise funds for three incredible charities that do amazing work in our community.”
The Mayor’s Appeal will be raising funds for Derbyshire Law Centre, Chesterfield Royal Charity, supporting staff’s Health and Well Being post Covid and Rural Action Derbyshire’s Feeding Chesterfield initiative.
The Civic Parade is an opportunity to celebrate the new Mayor. The parade will leave from the Town Hall on Rose Hill at 10.40am and will head through the town centre to the Church of St Mary and All Saints (Crooked Spire) where there will be a service at 11am. At noon the parade will return to the Town Hall.
There will be several dignitaries from across Derbyshire in attendance at the parade, along with Freemen, Aldermen, and former Mayors of Chesterfield, and groups such as the Royal British Legion and uniformed youth organisations.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the parade and church service, with seats being allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Councillor Flood replaces Councillor Mick Brady and Councillor Suzie Perkins who served as Mayor and Mayoress for the 2023 to 2024 civic year.
About the Mayor, Councillor Jenny Flood
Jenny was born in Lincolnshire, the youngest of three children, her career has been shaped by her parents whose own careers focused on health, supporting those in need and Care of orphaned children. After taking her A Levels, Jenny started her career as a Student Nurse at University College Hospital, London, where she became a Staff Nurse, Union Representative, a Clinical Teacher, and a Ward Sister specialising in the care for the elderly. Jenny later progressed to Nether Edge Hospital in Sheffield to open the Stroke Unit and manage the Acute Unit as Assistant Matron, resulting in moving to Hasland, where she was closer to her sister.
Jenny made a career change when she married her late husband, Raymond. Becoming a full-time trade union official for COHSE in the Trent region, was the Women’s Officer, TULO Representative and the representative on East Midlands Region Labour Party where she became Chair. She was elected to serve on the English National Board, the then part of the United Kingdom Central Nursing Council and following the union merger was the UNISON Officer for health branches in North & South Derbyshire, Central Notts, South Lincolnshire, several Ambulance Branches, and the University of Derby.
Jenny loved going to concerts, the theatre visiting preserved steam train lines, historical sites with her late husband, Raymond, and spending time together on various holidays to the coast, the countryside and abroad, including sailing with friends around the Greek islands. Jenny has one son, Nathan and a daughter-in-law, Joanna. Jenny has a wonderful grandson, Arthur and a granddaughter on the way. In her spare time, Jenny loves swimming, tapestry, baking and being a nanna to her grandson.
In 2011 after her retirement, Jenny stood for Rother Ward and has been re-elected ever since. She has served on several committees and was Chair of the Scrutiny Committee. She is active in her community, influencing the development of parks and the setting up the Rother Active Youth Club to provide holiday activities and food to young children. She was responsible for helping set up Gussies Kitchen, a not-for-profit social eating café, which provided free food to 300 households weekly throughout the pandemic and now Gussies Pantry is providing a weekly food shop for those in food poverty. She is also Chair and a Trustee for Derbyshire Law Centre.
Jenny feels it is important to help young people achieve their potential and have opportunities and experiences that enable them to have the necessary support and chances through education, provision of skills and learn the importance of community, equality and teamwork.
About the Mayoress, Heather Hopkinson
Heather has lived in Chesterfield all her life she attended primary school in Inkersall and then went to Netherthorpe School until completing sixth form. She began her working career at Inkersall Green School on a Youth Training Scheme working with children with additional needs. Through this work she knew she had found her niche working with children and started to gain more experience in youth work.
Heather attended the University of Derby as a mature student and gained a qualification in Youth and Community, Heather never looked back and has been working with children and families for over 30 years. Throughout her career she has always worked in communities in and around Chesterfield engaging children and families in a variety of settings working as a multi-agency worker, Teaching Assistant and youth worker predominantly in the Rother area and many years ago this was how her path crossed with Jenny.
Heather currently works as a Community Liaison Officer at Parkside Secondary School and is known as a caring, hardworking, proactive and adaptable person committed to making a positive impact to all that she meets. Heather has always strived to make a positive difference to people’s lives and help fulfil their aspirations.
She is a mother to three wonderful children Sarah, Leanne and Jamie. Her fiancé Stephen has two children Jack and Laurie, Heather loves to spend time with all four grandsons and her family means a great deal to her.
