The patron of the Harrow Apollo Male Choir is the Mayor of Harrow. Each May when a new mayor is elected, we get a new patron. The Mayor is elected at a Council Meeting by fellow councillors. We are particularly pleased that our new patron elected for the municipal year 2018/19 is our associate member, The Worshipful The Mayor, Councillor Kareema Marikar. A Deputy Mayor is elected at the same meeting who, in the absence of the Mayor, is given the same precedence. The Deputy Mayor for this year is Councillor Nitin Parekh

In February 2018, as Deputy Mayor, Councillor Kareema Marikar attended the Launch Event of HAMC’s new website. She was very enthusiastic about singing in general, and supporting the choir. She was also very complementary about the new website. She is a member of More than Just a Choir, which some of our members supported at a recent event in Westminster, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week and with whom HAMC has sung at a variety of events.

The mayor-making ceremony took place on the evening of 24th May at Harrow Civic Centre. It featured Sri-Lankan cultural elements. The Mayor has lived in Harrow for the past 28 years but is still rightly proud of her Sri Lankan heritage and that she has raised three children as a single mother. Both these experiences should give her insights into leading one of the most diverse areas of London. The Mayor has pledged to support sick children and the homeless during her Mayoral term of office.

Each year, the Mayor chooses a special charity to support. The Mayor’s Special Appeal this year is in aid of Firm Foundation – a local charity based in Harrow working with the homeless – and the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which helps families who have seriously ill children. As in previous years, the Harrow Apollo Male Choir will be happy to perform in support of its patron’s Special Appeal at any Borough events to which it is invited.

To make a special appeal to raise money for the Mayor’s chosen charities, email the Mayor’s Office, mayor@harrow.gov.uk.

Useful information:

Forms of address:

The correct title of the Mayor is: “The Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow”.

The correct forms of verbal address are:

  • The Mayor (female): Mr Mayor is the correct form of address. However, female mayors may elect to be addressed as Madam Mayor.
  • The Consort: Mr (followed by name)
  • The Deputy Mayor: Mr Deputy Mayor

The Mayor’s role:

The Mayor is the first citizen of the borough and always has precedence in the borough unless royalty or the Lord Lieutenant are present.

The Mayor chairs the council meetings and carries out some 500 – 600 engagements during the year, ranging from major civic functions to small personal celebrations, such as 100th birthdays.

The Mayor is always happy to welcome groups to the Civic Centre by appointment, where a guided tour and talk on the history of the borough and the civic insignia can be given.

To invite the Mayor to an event, contact the Mayor’s Office (mayor@harrow.gov.uk) to check availability then complete the online form with details of your invitation which can be found on this webpage: http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200033/elections_and_representatives/21/the_mayor_of_harrow/2

Further information can be found in this Harrow Times article.

Information for this blog was taken from the following websites:

http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200033/elections_and_representatives/21/the_mayor_of_harrow

http://www.harrow.gov.uk/news/article/665/harrow_s_new_mayor_pledges_to_support_the_vulnerable