The mayor of North Tyneside has said she is "shocked and delighted" at receiving a damehood in the New Year's Honours list.
Dame Norma Redfearn CBE is one of the region's most senior Labour Party figures and became mayor in 2013 after taking over from Conservative Linda Arkley. The Wallsend-born former head teacher and passionate community advocate has been officially recognised as part of this year’s New Year’s Honour list for her work in political and public service.
Dame Norma said: “I am shocked and delighted to have received this prestigious award and recognition, I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet. It is wonderful to be recognised for a job that I have been elected to do by the residents of North Tyneside, a borough, its communities, and neighbourhoods that I am incredibly proud to serve each and every day.
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"This award needs to be shared with my colleagues, our officers at the council who work incredibly hard on behalf of our residents and the voluntary and community sector organisations that provide support to our most vulnerable residents, without all of you my role would not be possible, and I would not have received such an honour.
"Their work has been particularly vital during the difficult times we have all lived through over the past few years and it fills me with an incredible sense of pride when I see what a difference they make to the lives of people across North Tyneside."
She added: "I know my family and friends will be as equally delighted to hear this news and I would like to thank them all for their continued support, finally a big thanks to everyone who has already been in touch with kind wishes and celebratory messages.”
Before taking up the top job, Dame Norma was a councillor in the Riverside ward and prior to her life in politics, had a thirty-year career in teaching and was head teacher at West Walker Primary. She was then elected as a councillor in 2004, and went on to serve as the cabinet member with responsibility for children and young people while the council was under the leadership of her Labour colleague John Harrison from 2005 to 2009.
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