Verina Weaver

VERINA WEAVER - WEST LEIGH WARD I am your candidate for Reform Uk in West Leigh where I taught piano for 11 years at St. Michael’s school - I was also Secretary for their PTA whilst my daughter was there between the ages of 3-11. My three sons were all baptised at Highlands Methodist Church where as a family we worshipped for many years. As a local piano teacher & accompanist I visited Highlands often for my pupil’s music exams as it is a Centre for the ABRSM exams. I have also performed in the church often in music recitals & at Leigh Music Festival’s prize giving concerts when I accompanied various choirs including The Fidelio Singers & Vox Chamber Choir. My Council experience started in 1997 when I was first elected & learnt my craft sitting on many committees including planning,education & social services. Having been a magistrate in the Rochford & Southend Bench for 9 years prior to being elected I found the training very useful in my career as a Councillor. I became very interested in the social services side of things & became Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Social Services when I was part of the administration. I carried on sitting on the Planning Committee & also chaired the Health Partnership Board as well as serving as a Non-Executive Director on the PCT. It was a great honour to be Mayoress of Southend when my husband Roger was Mayor & we had an amazing year getting to know all the voluntary groups & charities that operate in & around Southend. We chose two young charities for our fundraising year - Growing Together (Trust Links) & Peaceful Place (Early onset dementia) / we were able to raise approx £85k for them to share & they were then able to obtain match funding for their two big building projects. Community has always been a very important part of my life starting with helping to run a local toddler group when my children were small through to serving as PTA Chair of Southend High School for Girls & as a Governor of Friars/Shoebury High & SHSG.