Islington Tribune - News: Cherie congratulations new mayor

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 18 May 2007

Cherie congratulates new mayor

PRIME Minister’s wife Cherie Blair sent her best wishes to new Islington Mayor Councillor Barbara Smith on her appointment on Tuesday.
In a message read at the full council meeting, Mrs Blair said: ”The Prime Minister and I remember Barbara fondly from St Joan of Arc church and school and wish her well in her term of office.”
The meeting heard that the Lib Dem councillor had become friendly with the Blairs 20 years ago when they lived in Richmond Crescent, Barnsbury, before Mr Blair became Prime Minister in 1997.
Cllr Smith, 60, who has represented Canonbury ward since 2002, said: “I met the Blairs regularly at church services, and Cherie and I were involved in the church parents’ group.”
The new mayor, whose husband Paul will act as her consort, grew up in working-class south London, the daughter of a warehouseman. She worked as librarian at the London College of Fashion until she retired 18 months ago.
Cllr Smith’s charity for her year in office will be Sadler’s Wells Connect, which promotes acting and theatre for less-well-off children. “I remember when I was a kid going to the theatre was always a treat because it was so expensive,” she said. “Unfortunately, in a lot of cases in the West End that is still the case.”
She likes theatre, ballet and The Rolling Stones and once had her ’top ten’ played on Capital Gold radio station.