Greenwich (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Councillor Linda Bird has been officially elected as Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich for the 2025–2026 term during a full council meeting.
Councillor Bird, who has spent more than 40 years in Eltham, has devoted a significant portion of her life to public life, teaching, and community involvement throughout Royal Greenwich.
She has been a devoted local ever since she first arrived into the borough in 1980, when she lived with her husband Ken and their two daughters.
The new Mayor, Councillor Bird said:
“I am truly honoured to serve once again as Mayor of this incredible borough.
Although this is not my first time as Mayor, it will certainly be different. I was the Mayor during the pandemic and all my visits were online. It’s going to be great getting out and seeing people face to face! Greenwich has shaped my life and given so much to my family, and it is a privilege to give back to the community I care so deeply about.
Family is at the heart of everything I do, so I’m proud to have my two daughters Emily and Amy, serving as my consorts during my year as Mayor.”
Having worked at schools in Eltham, Deptford, and Brixton, Linda’s teaching career has a strong local foundation.
She is renowned for starting Greenwich Youth Dance, a dynamic dance company that provided numerous young people with the chance to express their creativity and perform locally. She also worked as a PE and dance advisor in Lewisham and Greenwich.
After a career spanning over forty years, Linda retired from teaching in 2012 after serving as headteacher of Linton Mead Primary School in Thamesmead for twelve years.
She has been actively involved in community life ever since, helping to provide for her four grandsons.
After boundary adjustments, Linda is now happily serving as Councillor for Eltham Park and Progress after being elected to the council in 2014 as a representative of the Eltham North ward.
She has served in a variety of capacities over the last 11 years, including Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel, Planning Board member, and contributor to the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and Fostering Panel.
Councillor Bird is serving his second term as mayor. She previously served in 2020, when the COVID-19 epidemic was at its worst and communities throughout the borough were dealing with a lot of anxiety.
By releasing an emotional book with more than 200 letters, poems, songs, and drawings that encapsulated the energy and resiliency of local communities, Linda brought together the voices of those living throughout the borough during this time.
Councillor Bird has chosen two consorts, her daughters Amy Bird-Matthews and Emily Bird-Boughen, to support two local charities during her term as mayor:
During the critical early years of family life, Home-Start Greenwich provides wraparound care and essential early-years support to new parents.
The Greenwich and Bexley Hospice Dementia Support Group is a brand-new program designed to meet the increasing demand for specialized care and assistance for dementia patients and their families.
Councillor David Gardner, a Greenwich Peninsula Ward Councillor who represented the borough from 2002 to 2006 before being re-elected in 2014, will serve as deputy mayor for 2025–2026. He brings a breadth of expertise and a commitment to public service.
What initiatives will Councilor Linda Bird focus on during her term as Mayor?
The Greenwich and Bexley Hospice Dementia Support Group, which addresses the increasing need for specialized care and support for individuals with dementia and their families, and
Home-Start Greenwich, which offers crucial early-years support to new parents, are two important local charities that Councillor Linda Bird will prioritize during her term as Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich for 2025–2026.
Her lifelong dedication to education and community service is reflected in her mayoral objectives, which place a strong emphasis on family support and well-being.
After serving as mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic, she hopes to interact with locals more personally this time through in-person visits and community events.