The Mayor and Mayoress of Rotherham 2008-2009 are
Cllr Ann Russell and Cllr Patricia Russell.
"Putting disadvantaged children and young people first" will be the theme for Ann Russell and Patricia Russell during their term of office as Mayor and Mayoress of Rotherham during 2008-2009.
Ann is well-known throughout Rotherham for her work with those children and young people and so it is not surprising that the strand that runs through all her selected charities will be those youngsters, who through no fault of their own, have started their lives with a disadvantage – whether it be through a disability, poverty, abuse or discrimination.
Although she has lived in Rotherham for over 30 years, Ann has a truly international background. Born in Devon to an English father and a Burmese mother, she travelled the world with her family as her father was posted to various locations as part of his Army career. Indeed her four sisters were born in India, Singapore, Hong Kong and England respectively.
The family settled in Bath when her father retired from the Army, but after Ann married she continued the nomadic life-style as she moved around the country with her husband’s work. The couple and their three children – twin daughters and a son, who all share the same birthday – eventually settled in Rotherham.
Ann then worked as a qualified hairdresser in Wellgate before setting up her own grocery and general store in Rawmarsh. However, thanks to a very special little boy called Jack, she still found the time to launch and run the charity ‘Children First’ which pioneered a support group for families of children with special needs.
Her work with these disabled children and their families led her to being proclaimed Citizen of the Year in 1995 - an award run by the Rotherham Junior Chamber of Commerce – and other work with various groups of disadvantaged people, such as adults with learning difficulties, the homeless and the Samaritans.
This interest in the disadvantage has continued since she was elected onto the Council in 1998 for what was the Thorpe Hesley Ward. She has served on various committees, including chairing the Learning Disability Partnership Board and the Social and Community Support Scrutiny Panel. She has been an executive member of the national Homecare Council in London and currently chairs the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel and the Looked-After Children’s Scrutiny Sub-Panel.
She is also a member of the Planning Board and the Health and Safety Panel as well as serving on other external bodies such as being Governor of the Court of Bradford University.
She also supports the work of her family. As well as six grandchildren of her own, she also six ‘adopted’ grandchildren and with a group of friends supports the work of one of her twin daughters. As a doctor in South Africa she treats women and children with HIV and AIDS and Ann and her friends lend their support by shipping aid for the hospital and children’s home for orphans.
Now representing the Silverwood Ward, Ann has asked her fellow Silverwood councillor, Patricia Russell to be her consort for the civic year. Pat was a school meals supervisor for 25 years before becoming a councillor in 2004. However, she is no stranger to the role as she was Mayoress of Rotherham in 2003/04 as consort to her husband, Cllr Richard Russell.
Pat also holds disadvantaged young people close to her heart. Not only does she have two children and two grandchildren of her own, she is also the Divisional Commissioner for Rotherham North Guides as well as being the South Yorkshire Special Needs Advisor. A full-time carer for her son, who has special needs, she is the Council’s Champion for Learning Disabilities and also chairs the Disability Partnership Board.
The Mayor of Rotherham's Charities for 2008/9 are:
Rotherham Time 4 Play - an annual summer play scheme for children and young people with disabilities.
The aim of the Time 4 Play is to provide a stimulating and enjoyable experience exclusively for young disabled people who live within the Rotherham community. It also provides a safe environment with stimulating activities as well as offering a short-break service for parents, guardians and carers.
In the year-ahead they want to draw attention to the lack of organised activities specifically for disabled young people aged from 15 to 18 as there is clearly a gap in provision that needs to be addressed. Last year the play scheme was able to offer 25 young people places during the week.
The Rotherham Young Carers Service is run by Barnardo’s, whose aim is to give children back their future. Its vision is that all children and young people should be free from poverty, abuse and discrimination and its aim is to help the most vulnerable children transform their lives and fulfil their potential.
The Rotherham Young Carers Service gives young people who care for a person the opportunity to have a break from their day-to-day caring role thanks to the support of a key worker, who will offer information and advice. They will also have the opportunity to take a summer break.
A young carer is someone who has a significant responsibility for caring for a family member. This person may have mental health difficulties, suffering from substance misuse or have a physical, sensory or learning impairment or a long-term illness.
Rotherham Women’s Refuge Children & Young People’s Information and Support Service was established in 2000 and aims to intervene early in the life of children and young people who live in refuges in an effort to minimise the impact of abuse and support them to achieve their potential.
Children and young people make up two thirds of the refuge population, and this service provides the critical support these children need in their time of great trauma and crisis.
The service builds self-confidence and self esteem among the children and young people within the Rotherham refuge and protects them from further abuse. It has been proved to have far-reaching effects, such as improving relationships, as well as mental wellbeing and even school attendance and educational attainment.
For further information please contact Jill Shirt on:
Tel: 01709 822720
Fax 01709 822727
Email jill.shirt@rotherham.gov.uk
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