On Wednesday 16 May, at 11am, Councillor Keith Gill will be sworn in as the new Mayor of Gosport, at a ceremony being held in the Thorngate Halls, Gosport.
Keith was born in Manor Park, London in 1942. After leaving university he entered the world of education, working in Nottingham, Derby, Suffolk and Devon, before moving to Hampshire in 1981.
Appointed to the Gosport Area Education Office, Keith was advised to ‘live in Gosport’ because of ‘the troubles on the A32’ (not a lot has changed then!) and it was here that his two children went to school at Bay House and St Vincent College.
“One of the main issues affecting the lives of residents then and now is transport, in particular our problems travelling on the A32,” said Keith. “It’s important that progress is made soon to resolve this long standing issue.”
It must be said when he took early retirement in 1997 local politics was not part of Keith’s retirement plan. However, in 1999 he was ‘persuaded’ to stand for election, winning his seat in Alverstoke, a ward which since boundary changes in 2002 has become Privett. Keith obviously enjoyed the work because in 2005 he stood in the County Council elections where he was elected to represent Leesland and Town residents. It is at the County Council that Keith can maintain his interest in education, which stands him in good stead in his role as governor of Brune Park and Bay House Schools.
“It is a great honour to be elected as Mayor and I look forward to meeting the many individuals, groups, clubs and societies which make up the true community of Gosport,” added Keith. “During my Mayoral year, there will be some very special events taking place, perhaps none more so than the 25th anniversary of the Falkland Islands conflict. Gosport has a long naval history of which its residents are justifiably proud and I hope that with this event still sharp in our hearts and minds, you will join me on Sunday 3 June at 11am to remember those lost.”
Keith’s charities for the year are the Harbour Cancer Support Centre, a local support group for those suffering from cancer and their families and The Bivol Trust which works with young people aged 16 to 35 with severe learning and physical disabilities. One of Keith’s first duties as Mayor will be to present an award to the Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year. The Citizen Award is given to someone who lives in Gosport and who has made a difference to the lives of others through their help and kindness.
The Young Citizen of the Year again, must live in the Borough and be 18 or under. They may have shown courage in overcoming or coping with a disability, or in an act of bravery, or maybe demonstrated a helping and caring attitude to the disadvantaged
This year’s Citizen of the Year is, in the words of his nominee, a man with a heart of gold who nothing is ever too much trouble for. This special resident is a member of the Gosport Access and Disability Forum and gives many free hours in helping run the local Shopmobility scheme. He also helps people with shopping, runs them to appointments, takes his neighbours to line-dancing etc, yet never asks for petrol money, which always comes out of his pocket, not those who he is helping. This gentleman never grumbles or complains and, despite being disabled and in pain himself, he always puts the needs of others first. In fact most of his time is spent helping others. These are just some of the reasons why Len Stent has been nominated as this year’s Citizen of the Year.
Len (63) was originally a ‘Pompey’ man, but after 22 years in the RAF he decided to look for somewhere to settle and 16 years ago he made Gosport his home.
“We were looking for somewhere we knew and liked and where property prices were fairly reasonable,” said Len. “After looking around we decided that instead of going back to Portsmouth, we would move across the water to Gosport and we have been here ever since. I must admit I was amazed to hear that I had been nominated for the award and delighted to hear that I had actually won it. I really enjoy helping others and no reward is necessary. But it is heart warming to know that others have appreciated my help enough to nominate me for the Citizen of the Year title, for which I am very grateful.”
This year the award for Young Citizen goes to not one - but two young people! They are Kimberley Davies (11) and Becky Ward (9), both pupils at Holbrook Primary School.
Kimberley and Becky both befriended Ailsa, a young girl in their class who has profound and multiple learning difficulties. The pair not only watch out for Ailsa as a friend, but they have also taken on some of the role of her carer. Ailsa currently has 32 hours of adult support each week because of her disabilities. But now, thanks to Kimberley and Becky helping her to do things like eat and drink, she can enjoy some normal everyday activities with children her own age, giving her some independence away from adult carers. Another bonus is the girls’ great ability to understand and acknowledge Ailsa’s requirements, something they are far more skilled at than some of the adults, making it far less stressful for her.
But their goodness and kindness doesn’t stop there for as well as looking after Ailsa, Kimberley and Becky also spend their lunchtimes playing with another 5 year old who has special needs requirements and severe learning and behavioural difficulties. With their endless patience the pair not only help this child, but also provide a positive role model to others by showing how best to behave and connect with children in these special and sometimes difficult circumstances.
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