Cramlington has a new Town Mayor… 

Cramlington’s new Town Mayor was elected to office by the Full Council at the recent Cramlington Town Council Annual Meeting. 

Councillor Helen Morris was welcomed to her new role by her fellow councillors who also elected Councillor Christine Dunbar to the office of Deputy Town Mayor. 

Helen, a Northburn resident, who has represented the North Ward since 2019, is looking forward to meeting the challenges of her new role: “I am honoured and excited to be the new Town Mayor. I am looking forward to meeting more residents as I take on duties across the whole town and the wider community. 

Helen moved to Cramlington in 1999, having previously been employed as a technical support manager in the financial sector. When she moved, she needed childcare and this resulted in her being involved in a childcare support group and then becoming Chair and Treasurer of Cramlington Kids Club which, under her guidance, has grown to be an organisation with 26 staff that looks after 400 children. 

Speaking of her work Helen said, “I’m proud of that achievement – the Kids Club, which is based at Eastlea Primary School, is now the largest childcare organisation in Northumberland and I’m seeing parents who were children at the club previously.” 

“Coming to Cramlington as a parent meant I had to get involved with many of the groups the town has, and I can say I will never want to live anywhere else. I love the town, it has so many excellent facilities and groups and I have never known a more inclusive or friendly place and that is because of the people.” 

“I look forward to serving those people in my role as Town Mayor and working with my Town Council colleagues who, like me, take on these roles because we want to do our bit.” 

“I would like to thank the out-going Town Mayor, Councillor Loraine De Simone, for her sterling work and her commitment to the town. She has seen us through challenging times, including the pandemic, and I appreciate the dedication she has shown to the town’s residents.” 

“I am delighted to have Councillor Christine Dunbar working alongside me as Deputy Mayor. She is another Councillor who has already demonstrated her commitment to residents over her years of service.” 

Councillor Christine Dunbar is married to Councillor Norman Dunbar, and they have lived in Eastfield for 39 years. A town and County Councillor, she said “In my role as deputy Town Mayor I look forward to supporting Helen and meeting residents from the whole of the town.”  

She previously served as a police officer and then chose to be a stay-at-home mum before becoming involved in environmental work, at one point being Chair of Northumberland Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE). 

Helen, who is married to Mark and is mother to John and Donna, has chosen Macmillan Cancer Support as her Town Mayor’s Charity saying: “I have had personal experience of the work carried out by MacMillan nurses and know how valuable it is. I want to use my role as Town Mayor in a positive way from the get-go by raising funds for this very worthwhile cause.” 

Pictured: Town Mayor Councillor Helen Morris and Deputy Town Mayor Christine Dunbar.