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Sonia Barker

Sonia BarkerI am honoured to have been unanimously voted in as the Lowestoft Mayor at the Lowestoft Town Council AGM.  As Mayor and Chair of the Council I will continue to celebrate and promote our town where the sun rises first across the UK.

I have lived and worked in the local area (for the NHS, as a High school teacher and District and SCC County Councillor – I served as VC of SCC Education & Children’s Services Scrutiny for four years) for over 30 years. I gained an OU degree whilst working for the NHS and then trained as a teacher at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.  Later I gained a Masters Degree in educational research and I am also a graduate of the Local Government Association Leadership Academy. Married to Rod we have a daughter who also lives in Lowestoft with her partner.

My key priority is to ensure that Lowestoft Town Council looks to the future, engages with young people and their interests, as well as looking to the past to enable an active legacy to be created within our town.   Working collectively to regenerate Lowestoft is the Town Hall Project Board’s (THPB) aim to secure funding for the iconic Town Hall building.  I have been impressed with the many community groups (including Lowestoft historians and heritage groups) as well as young people, who have all worked together for the good of the town.

History, heritage and the arts are my passions, alongside concerns for the climate and ecological emergency.   I also volunteer at Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Carlton Marshes and the First Light Festival.  I am looking forward to meeting you at the many events I will be attending during the Civic Year 2023/24.  You can contact me via my Town Council email if you have any suggestions you may have to make the town thrive.