The Mayor of Rotherham for 2025-2026 is Councillor Rukhsana Ismail.
Throughout her term, the Mayor will place the Rotherham community at the heart of everything she does. She says her role as First Citizen of Rotherham is ‘a very big responsibility and it's an honour to be in’ but is very excited to get started.
Although she was born in Sheffield, the Mayor moved with her family to Birmingham when she was very young. When she got married, she moved back to South Yorkshire. She settled in a tight-knit community before moving from Sheffield to Rotherham with her young family in 2010.
The Mayor is driven by her desire to set high standards and to be a role model for her three daughters and to give them the tools to create a successful life for themselves instilling a positive can do attitude. Inspiring the wider community is also at the forefront of the Mayor’s thinking.
The Mayor returned to education, first going back to college to complete her GCSEs and then her A Levels. At the same time, she started volunteering for a domestic abuse and human trafficking charity in Sheffield. Once she completed her A Levels, she started working as a caseworker and from there she rose through the ranks, soon becoming a co-ordinator, then manager and head of safeguarding before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of a charity in Nottinghamshire.
The Mayor is passionate about supporting her community which is why she also undertakes a range of other roles including being a Magistrate and chairing the South Yorkshire's Community Foundation Panel for Rotherham. She also serves as vice chair for Unison, Sheffield Branch and is a trustee for Rotherham Age UK, Rotherham Hospice and South Yorkshire Eating Disorder Association and also sits on various community groups and panels. The Myor said:
“If you had asked me 10 to 15 years ago that I'd become a Councillor, a Magistrate, a Chief Executive Officer or even the Mayor, I'd say ‘carry on dreaming’. If I can do all of that, I think anyone can. You just have to believe in yourself. It's the dedication that makes you able to achieve anything, and giving back to the community that means more than anything else.”
The Mayor is looking forward to meeting people who work in the community to provide support and care for those who need it most. She said:
“What I'm also super excited about is my daughter being my consort!”
The Mayor will be supporting four charities: The Rotherham Hospice Trust, Age UK Rotherham, Sense Rotherham and Apna Haq in 2025-2026:
"As Mayor, I have chosen these charities because together they represent the heart of our community - caring for people at every stage of life and in times of greatest need. From providing end-of-life care and supporting our older residents, to championing the rights of those with complex needs and protecting vulnerable women and girls, these charities reflect the compassion, strength, and diversity of Rotherham."
- The Rotherham Hospice Trust (Charity No. 700356) Rotherham Hospice provides excellence in care for adults throughout Rotherham affected by a terminal illness. Dedicated staff and volunteers provide palliative care to help patients and their families achieve the very best quality of life, both at home and in the Hospice.
- Age UK Rotherham (Charity No.1039771) Age UK Rotherham is an independent local charity who have been working in the local community to deliver services and activities for older people in Rotherham. They have around 35 dedicated staff and many volunteers helping to support vulnerable adults in the borough.
- Sense Rotherham (Charity No. 289868) Sense provides services for people with complex communication needs. These might include people who have Autism, people with learning disabilities with additional needs, people who are Deafblind or people with single sensory impairments. There are two Sense Centres situated in Rotherham.
- Apna Haq (Charity No. 1169502) Apna Haq supports black and minority ethnic (BME) women and girls in Rotherham who are experiencing any form of violence, including domestic violence. Their long-term support helps women heal from the trauma of abuse and make the transition from crisis situations to safe, independent, violence-free lives.
