Meet the new mayor: Elaine Hardwick

Newly-elected Mayor of Bradley Stoke Cllr Elaine Hardwick (left) receives the chain of office from previous mayor Cllr Roger Avenin.

The new mayor of Bradley Stoke was elected on Thursday 12th May: the chosen candidate was Cllr Elaine Hardwick, who has served on the town council since 2011. We managed to ask Elaine some questions about her aspirations as the new mayor of Bradley Stoke.

Elaine says her main aim is to “keep up with the good work that has been carried out in recent years, ensuring that services are maintained to a high level and that council tax payers get value for money.” She mentioned that youth provision is also a priority, along with “encouraging older residents to become involved with the community” through new or existing clubs and groups. Elaine said she “would like to see the development of Brook Way [the town council’s activity centre and adjacent site]” and will be “exploring all ideas for this”.

The mayor is also aware of how the construction of the MetroBus route has affected residents. She hopes that once completed, the provision of better public transport will improve the traffic situation in Bradley Stoke. She says this “will be vital, with the imminent development of Filton Airfield”.

Having watched Bradley Stoke develop over the last twenty years, Elaine says she finds it to be a “great, vibrant place to live”. She moved to Filton with her family in 1994, and to Bradley Stoke in 1997. She tells us that when she first moved here, she “had a young family to look after”; as they grew older she worked in several financial roles for companies such as AXA, Computershare and the Bank of Ireland. She became self-employed in August 2015, contracting to the financial sector and making bespoke wedding accessories.

Elaine and her husband have been married for 37 years, having two daughters and a son. They have six grandchildren and another due in November this year. Elaine has been involved with the Bradley Stoke Cricket Club since she moved to the area. Her two chosen charities are the local charity, Heartful Dodgers, and Transplant Sport UK. Heartful Dodgers aims to improve cardiac care in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, while Transplant Sport actively promotes organ donation.

For more information about the two charities, visit www.southmeadhospitalcharity.org.uk & www.transplantsport.org.uk

Photo: Cllr Elaine Hardwick (left) receives the chain of office from previous mayor Cllr Roger Avenin.

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.

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