Redcar and Cleveland's Mayor for 2026/27, Councillor Ceri Cawley, was elected to office at the Council’s AGM on 21st May and wore the robes for the first time at her official Mayoral Investiture Ceremony at the Civic Centre, Redcar on 28th May.
Mayor, Cllr Cawley, 43, has lived in Dormanstown, Redcar since she was 12 years old and has represented the area as a Labour Councillor since 2015.
She explained that her family returned to Dormanstown where her father was born following her dad’s career as one of Redcar’s first professional flat jockeys.
She attended West Redcar Secondary School and Sir William Turner’s College, gaining diplomas in sports therapy, nutrition and aromatherapy along with several other sports-related qualifications. As a teenager, she worked at a gym which broadened her martial arts knowledge, and she achieved her first dan (black belt) in karate at the age of 16.
She has always taken a big interest in her community and was involved in supporting families when the steelworks closed in 2015. She said: “When the works closed, I wanted to try and help my fellow councillors and that was when the Teesside Steel Appeal was born, helping more than 300 families have a Christmas that year.”
She has also been a member of the Inspiring Women Awards since 2015 which celebrates the many great women of the area.
The new Mayor successfully campaigned for the council to become the first endometriosis-friendly local authority in the north of England last year. She was diagnosed with the condition in her early 20s and has struggled with severe pain.
She will raise money for the Chris Cave Foundation, established by Redcar mother Theresa Cave in memory of her son, Chris, who died after being stabbed. The charity supports families affected by violent crime, works with the probation service and campaigns against knife crime including educating young people in schools.
Mayor Cawley will also raise funds for Morgan House in Boosbeck, East Cleveland. Morgan House is a dedicated centre which supports military veterans who may be struggling after their service. It is named in honour of Sam Morgan, a much-loved Royal Marine veteran from Guisborough whose life was cut short by suicide last year.
Cllr Cawley said: “I am proud to support these two fantastic charities and help raise much-needed funds so they can continue their important work. To be elected as Mayor is a great honour and privilege and I look forward to being a good ambassador for our area.” Mayor, Cllr Cawley was previously Deputy Mayor. Her Consort will be her husband, Christian, they have three young children.
The Deputy Mayor is Cllr Adam Brook who represents the Grangetown ward and will be supported by his wife, Carly.
To book the Mayor for an event please contact the Mayor’s Office via:
Email: jane.holmes@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk Tel. 01642 444501
The Mayor’s Office, Civic Centre, Ridley Street, Redcar, TS10 1TD