Cllr
Gillian K. Primrose
Wivenhoe Town Mayor,
2003/04
I was born in North Wales, but grew up outside
Croydon, attending a local girls Grammar School. I started work at
the age of 16, in a local bank, and shortly afterwards joined the
Civil Service. At the age of 19 I started training as a nurse at the
London Hospital and completed nearly two years, when I met my future
husband. He was a student, and, together with our young son, we
moved to Wivenhoe and the University of Essex in 1969.
Life in Wivenhoe in the late Sixties and early
Seventies was a heady experience, with a thriving artists’
community, exciting student life and the pleasure and interest of
becoming part of life in a village. After my marriage finished, I
became a mature student at Essex, as well as a mother, and found the
opportunity of progressing my artistic skills both in sculpture and,
later, in painting. |
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In the early Eighties I married Keith,
and had another son, which gave me the chance to make a new group of
friends, much younger than myself, who had children of my new son’s age.
Shortly after this, my elder son married and had children of his
own – my two wonderful grandchildren.
About six years ago, I joined the Town
Council, where I took a particular interest in Landscaping, Planning and
facilities for young people in the Town. I belong to a number of local
clubs and associations, and have tried to be an active participant in
events as diverse as the Concerts in the Park and equipment for the
children’s play areas. I currently work full time as a Teaching
Assistant at a Junior School in Colchester, where I am also a Governor. I
have continued to study a variety of courses, including City and Guilds
certificates (Ordinary and Advanced) and a Certificate in Education.
Fortunately, I have now completed these, and have cleared my desk for my
year as Mayor.
My theme for the Mayor’s Charity
Fund this year is the quality of life in Wivenhoe – what makes it such a
special place to live in? Why do so many of us stay on and make it our
home, and why do so many who have left, return to settle down here? I will
be looking at the various clubs, associations and support networks that
help make our Town such a wonderful place to bring up our families – and
looking at ways in which we might be able to make it even better. With
these points in mind I am looking forward to a busy but interesting year.
We have an exciting new Town Council consisting, partly, of original
members and, partly, new – which promises to be an interesting mixture,
and which, I hope, will bring great benefits to the community.
Click
here for a monthly account of Cllr Gilli's year as Wivenhoe Town
Mayor |