Mayor raises more than £10,000 for Herts charities

Mayor of Hertford for 2023/24, Councillor Vicky Smith, raised a bumper £10,309.42 for her chosen charities, Mudlarks and Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust.

Cllr Smith presented cheques for £5,154.71 to each of the charities. Cllr Smith said: “I am delighted that the people of Hertford have been so very generous during my time as mayor — all the fundraising events and activities have been so enjoyable and so well attended.

"Thank you Hertford, for your ongoing generosity and for enabling me to give much-needed financial support to these two amazing local charities, which do so very much for our town and its residents.”

Councillor Vicky Smith presents a cheque from Hertford Town Council to Victoria Hobson, chief executive, and team at Mudlarks Café, Hertford. (Image: Hertford Town Council) Fundraising activities over the time Cllr Smith was mayor included a Ceilidh at the Hertford Corn Exchange, a quiz night at Simon Balle School, Carols at the Castle, wreath making, food tasting catered by Mudlarks, a vintage tea party, Hertford Castle tours, an art exhibition, and the Mayor’s Marathon, an epic 26 miles along the Lea Valley.

Victoria Hobson, chief executive of Mudlarks, said: “We are delighted to have been one of the recipient charities for fundraising by the former Mayor, Councillor Vicky Smith.

"It was so much more than we were expecting! At our allotment site we have raised beds for our gardeners who cannot get down to the ground and many of these are old and rotten.

"We can now replace them ready for the next season and our gardeners will really enjoy building them over the winter.”

You can find out more about the work of Mudlarks at www.mudlarksgarden.org.uk

Councillor Vicky Smith presents a cheque from Hertford Town Council to Lesley Davies, chief executive, and Peter Tallantire, chair of trustees, both of Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust. (Image: Hertford Town Council) Lesley Davies, chief executive of Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, added: “I’m thrilled by the very generous donation and would like to extend our sincere thanks to Councillor Vicky Smith for her fundraising work which raised such a tremendous sum.

"It is urgent that the declines in our local wildlife are turned around, and we will use the donation for our ‘Wildlife in Crisis’ appeal to raise urgently needed funds so we can do everything in our power to support nature’s recovery.”

Mayor of Hertford for 2024/25 is Councillor Rachel Carter whose chosen charities are Citizens Advice East Herts and Herts & District Girlguiding.