Councillor Ian Gilchrist, who has represented Widcombe in Bath since 2007, is the new Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council it has been announced.
The charities he has chosen to support through fundraising events during his year in office are: Bath Cancer Unit Support Group; Julian House; Quartet Community Foundation.
He said: “I am looking forward to my year as Chairman, representing the Council and hopefully meeting many local residents and volunteer groups in their communities.
“I have chosen my three charities as I believe they represent a good mix of excellent causes serving many people across the B&NES area.”
Cllr Gilchrist who is married with two grown-up sons, moved to Bath in 1983 to work as a software engineer.
This followed an earlier career teaching English as Foreign Language in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yugoslavia.
As a councillor he has specialised at various times in Children and Young People, Energy and Climate Change, Development Control, and has done a year as Deputy Mayor.
He is also currently Chair of Governors at Widcombe Junior School. In his spare time, he organises the Widcombe Mummers and the Bath City Jubilee Waits, and also plays music for the local ladies Morris dance side (Mr Wilkins Shilling).
This year’s Vice Chairman is Councillor Alan Hale. Cllr Hale has lived in Keynsham since 1957 and has represented Keynsham South on the Council since 2007.
He served in the police for 31 years during which time he was commended for bravery on two occasions.
Among many community activities, he is chairman of the Keynsham Foodbank; a member of the Keynsham Lions Club, and a volunteer Steward at Bath Abbey.
He is married with two daughters and five grandchildren.
