There was much appreciation, affection and emotion expressed at the Vera Fletcher Hall on Monday when it was announced at the Residents' Association AGM that Maureen Sheldrick will retire as Councillor for Weston Green after representing that ward tirelessly for sixteen years.
Maureen's work for our community commenced over 20 years ago when she became first, minutes secretary and subsequently Hon Sec of the Association. She was persuaded to stand for election in 1992 and was duly presented to residents, adopted as your candidate, and elected Councillor. Her work for our community and for Elmbridge grew to such an extent that when faced with that and running three companies she opted for early retirement from her full-time employment so that she could concentrate on representing us as fully as anyone could wish.
Defender of Green realms
Maureen has always loved Weston Green and has been passionate about defending green belt and our other open spaces. Her sterling service has ranged from chairing Elmbridge's Planning Committee (and representing the borough nationally on planning matters), through chairing the Elmbridge Leisure and Countryside Committees where she has defended and nurtured the commons. In fact, we believe she has sat on ALL the main Committees at one time or another! Maureen is widely known among residents of long standing for her work towards the restoration and maintenance of Marney's and Milbourne ponds, and for sucessfully getting a ban on nightlong heavy lorry movements through the quiet streets around the Woodlands - and her campaign to further reduce lorry movements along unreasonable routes continues. Also for deploying her expertise and redoubtable personal qualities to ensure the proper implementation of planning guidelines. This may not have endeared her to profit-hungry developers and their supporters.
An excellent and warm-hearted Mayor
From 2001-2002 Maureen gained deserved recognition as a very good Mayor of Elmbridge. During that period she took especial pleasure and pride in raising almost £70,000 for "Hearing Dogs for Deaf People," the charity she chose to support for her Mayor's Appeal. It trains dogs to help those with hearing difficulties and who need a dog to alert them to danger. Maureen will always be grateful for the generosity of residents and local companies towards that Appeal. She also recalls one small Brownie who on learning of the charity, asked "Please, my Granny is deaf and she has a cat - can you teach cats to help?"
Generous with time and enthusiasm for so many
As most residents will know, Maureen has given generously of her time in a host of small ways too, from helping residents with problems caused by flooding from the grounds of Imber Court, to helping an Australian adoptee to track down his real mother's family who, it turned out, were in Wales rather than Weston Green. And more recently helping a descendant of the Marneys to add to family history. Last summer, a dogged Maureen was the driving force in getting the stolen antique red tiles replaced along the pavements of Weston Green - you will recall several news items on this site and in Thames Ditton Today. Surrey Highways and their contractors were 'unable' to source replacements. But Maureen knew where to lay a hand on them! When a decade earlier, cable TV was laid many tiles had been lifted and the SCC would have thrown them away. But Maureen urged residents to put them by, and was very proud of their community spirit in producing them again to replace the stolen ones. One resident willingly dug up half her garden to oblige.
On behalf of the Association, Ruth Lyon presented Maureen with spring flowers and a fine antique print of Imber Court to mark the occasion and our gratitude. We are very glad that Maureen will continue to give her time to the Association as a Vice-President. She is also one of this website's best contributors of news and ideas. Meanwhile she will be actively campaigning to ensure the election of the equally capable, committed and caring Lorraine Sharp who has been adopted as our community's candidate for Weston Green and who will, we're sure, prove as generous with her time and skills as Maureen.