Sad final farewell for former Mayor

POPULAR . . . former Oldham Mayor Ann Wingate

THE funeral of a popular former Oldham Mayor was taking place in Weston-Super-Mare today.

Mother-of-two Ann Wingate served as Mayor in 2007/08 before moving away. She joined Shaw and Crompton Parish Council in 1988 and was elected as a borough councillor in 1995.

In 2007, Mrs Wingate met Prince Philip at St James’s Palace when she handed out Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Mrs Wingate gained degrees in French and German and spent 26 years teaching languages at schools across Oldham. Her interest in politics was sparked when she became a teachers union representative and she has also served as chair of the planning committee and president of the Oldham branch of the NUT. Mrs Wingate has also been a governor at Rushcroft and Beal Vale primary schools.

She leaves son Mark, daughter Catherine and husband Ken.

Current Mayor John Hudson and fellow local councillors were in attendance to pay their respects.