New mayor pledges support for five charities

The new Mayor of Dudley has pledged to raise thousands of pounds for five charities during his year in office.

Councillor Pete Lee was named the borough’s first citizen at the Annual Council meeting last night.

After officially being sworn in, the Amblecote councillor named the charities he will be helping to raise money for in the coming year. They are:

• Gurkha Welfare Trust
• Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
• The Leukaemia Unit Appeal Fund (supporting the Georgina Unit at Russells Hall Hospital)
• The Alzheimer's Society and Disability in Action (Queen’s Cross Network).

Councillor Lee said: “It is a huge honour and privilege to serve the residents of the borough as Mayor of Dudley.

“Over the past year as Deputy Mayor I have enjoyed meeting so many individuals and organisations and hearing about the amazing work they are doing across the borough and I’m looking forward to meeting so many more during the coming year.

“I am also looking forward to raising funds for these incredible charities so they can continue their incredible work.”

The Mayor has said he will be reintroducing the Lord’s Prayer and the National Anthem to full council meetings.

His wife Gloria will be Mayoress.

At the same meeting Councillor Mushtaq Hussain was named deputy Mayor of Dudley, with his wife Sugra Hussain deputy mayoress.