Councillor Emily Clarke was elected by the Lewes Town Council as its Chair, and the Mayor of Lewes for the civic year of 2025 to 2026, and Councillor Adrian Ross was elected as Vice Chair of the council, and Deputy Mayor of Lewes.
Councillor Clarke made a short speech of thanks in which she said “I joined Lewes Town Council having worked in the community on various projects and this year I am excited and privileged to begin serving the community in a different way, as your Mayor which will allow me to shine a light on the amazing projects, community groups and services in this town.”
She has chosen the theme of community support and will be championing four causes as her Mayor’s Good Causes for the year. The first is Lewes’ foodbanks, which includes Malling, Landport and Fitzjohns. The other causes include Lewes Low Cost Counselling, HomeLink and Landport Community Hub.
Unusually for such a busy role, the new Mayor and deputy Mayor have paid jobs and families alongside their new duties to the town. Councillor Clarke said as deputy mayor last year she worked “to make it a more accessible role and bringing in the Mayoral team to share the load has really helped with that. I really look forward to this year an expanding on that team approach and showing the town that anyone can be Mayor.”
Thank you Councillor Makepeace.
The council has also expressed its thanks and appreciation to the outgoing Mayor, Councillor Imogen Makepeace. Councillor Makepeace has worked tirelessly in her role as Mayor made the mayoral team more accessible, using the Mayor’s Parlour for community events and gatherings.
Councillor Andrew Norris gave a vote of thanks saying that “Mayor Councillor Makepeace has led with integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of our community. Her leadership has brought about improvements that make our town a better place for all its residents.” He went on to say that “one of the things that stood out for me was her youth and democracy work, welcoming young kids and adults from the community into the Town Hall.”
He went on to give some examples of projects she worked on including supporting “Ukrainian Hearts” events and the impact of war on women, her focus on people and specifically women’s rights and mental health support for young people via her Good Cause for the year, the Community Interest Company Routes for Change.
Councillor Makepeace was presented with a beautiful bunch of flowers as a token of thanks and she gave thanks to the support she received during her Mayoral year saying “I now know a little better how the town works.”
Inviting the community
After the meeting, the new Mayor hosted a civic reception in the Assembly Room at Lewes Town Hall, which was attended by councillors, staff, as well as representatives and leaders of local groups and projects, and members of the working community of Lewes including the three Lewes foodbanks, Lewes Area Access group, Lewes Low Cost Counselling and HomeLink.
The event was run as a ‘pay as you feel’ fundraiser after the ceremony to raise money for Lewes’ three foodbanks. Food was prepared and cooked in advance by the Mayor Emily Clarke, Deputy Mayor Adrian Ross and other volunteers in the kitchen at the Town Hall. Produce was a mixture of donated and surplus food. Suppliers included Frank Richards & Sons, surplus hot cross buns from local supermarkets, herbs from Friday Market, apple juice from Ringmer Community Orchard, beer donated from Harvey’s Brewery. On the menu was a beef ragout, a vegetable biryani and a hot cross bun and butter pudding. All the food was served in compostable containers. Seven scouts from 6th Lewes Scout Group did a marvellous job serving the food and collecting the used food containers.
Whilst guests ate their food, they enjoyed music from Starfish youth bands including ‘Burnt Toast’, ‘Face to Face’ and ‘Mint and Veal.’ Starfish Youth Music is a music club for young people aged between 10 and 18 years old and based in Lewes. Since 1998 it has provided a fun and safe space for young people, helping them meet other like minded musicians, form bands, jam, write songs, play gigs and record their music. For one of the bands ‘Face to Face’ this was their first ever performance and they did such a great job. Mayor Emily Clarke’s son is the bassist in ‘Burnt Toast’, what a way to celebrate your mum becoming Mayor!
Deputy Mayor gives thanks
Councillor Adrian Ross addressed the council at the reception and gave a toast to the new Mayor saying “Councillor Emily Clarke is one of the most effective and hard-working community volunteers, in a town blessed with community volunteers” many of whom were present at the reception held in the Assembly Room at the Town Hall. He went on to say that “she is one of the driving forces behind the brilliant Lewes foodbank network, the organiser of the Landport Community Café and the found of the Lewes School Uniform Bank.”
VE Day bonfire societies procession
Around 9.30pm Mayor Emily Clarke joined Lewes Bonfire societies at the War Memorial to participate in the special procession organised to give thanks to all those who served in the Second World War and to mark the Eightieth Anniversary of VE day.