Chairman of Wychavon District Council 2008/09

At the Annual General Meeting of Wychavon District Council on 13 May 2008 Cllr Mrs J E Sandalls was elected as Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Mrs Sandalls main charities for the year will be County Air Ambulance, St. Richard's Hospice.and Help for Heroes.

Mrs Sandalls was born in Inkberrow, Worcestershire but moved to Bishampton at an early age.  She was educated at Throckmorton, Flyford Flavell and Pershore High School.  One of her Grandfathers was a Borough Councillor, so you could say she is carrying on the family tradition.

Mrs Sandalls is a Worcestershire girl to the core and extremely proud of it.  During her school days you could always find her either on the hockey pitch or in the Gym, physical education was her passion.  She also played tennis, table tennis and badminton.

Later she moved to Broadway where she spent many happy years before moving to Evesham where she joined the Civil Service as a GPO Telephonist.  Mrs Sandalls married in 1952 and has two married daughters and four grandchildren, three are much involved in sport and her eldest grandson is serving in 3 para in Afghanistan.  She is extremely proud of them all.

For twenty years her family was her life being a housewife and a mum.  Since they moved on to University and then to marry she has commuted to babysit and more recently to watch them play football, cricket, hockey and rugby.  Over the years Mrs Sandalls has devoted her time to a variety of local organisations and for twelve years served in the Royal Observor Corps.

After her divorce In 1972 she joined the Home Office and retired from there in 1992.  Mrs Sandalls is a Governor of Swan Lane First School in Evesham, a member of the Royal Air Forces Association, the Royal Observor Corps Association and the British Legion.  She has a love of animals, walking, eating out, reading, gardening, dancing and going to the theatre when she has time.

Mrs Sandalls was elected to Evesham Town Council in 1998 and the District Council in 1999 and was elected Mayor of Evesham in 2006.

Mrs Sandalls became a Councillor to give something back to the community and is delighted to have been elected Chairman of Wychavon District Council.  Her work as a Councillor involves her with many important issues and she loves every minute of it.