New children’s mayor appointed for Southampton

On Wednesday 17 July, 10-year-old Freya Orendecki of Fairisle Junior School was announced as the new Children’s Mayor for the city of Southampton during a ceremony in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour

The Children’s Mayor is an annual initiative where year 5 children will have the opportunity to put together a project that aims to improve the lives of children in the city. The Children’s Mayor was created to help primary aged children understand the council’s democratic system and to create projects that can benefit their local community and beyond.

The winner is chosen by council officers, Southampton’s Youth Council and the Lord Mayor. The Children’s Mayor attends high profile events with the current Lord Mayor and is an ambassador for primary aged children.

In her application, Freya outlined her desire to promote re-using, upcycling, and recycling during her time as the Children’s Mayor. The idea of decorated bins to deter littering and minimise pollution in Southampton is one of her main goals for the year.

During the ceremony held in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour, Freya collected her robes and heard from council teams, her headteacher and the Lord Mayor of Southampton. Afterwards, Freya attended Full Council within the Lord Mayor’s procession before being announced publicly for the first time.

Freya said:

“We all need to make changes to help our planet and protect our futures. I’m hoping that my ideas will not only make a difference to our environment but also the young people of Southampton by getting children to be creative and learn new skills.”

The Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Southampton, Councillor David Shields said:

“It is wonderful to have Freya on board. We had some strong applications this year, but Freya’s ideas impressed us all. I share her vision for keeping Southampton clean, safe and tidy and I’m really looking forward to working with her this year.”

Councillor Alex Winning, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning added:

“I am really excited to hear what Freya has planned for the year ahead. It is clear she is incredibly passionate about where she lives and protecting our planet and I feel a lot of people can take huge inspiration from her. We are all so proud of our Children’s Mayor initiative as it gives primary school aged children a voice and a small insight into how the council operates to benefit our local people.”