Dover Town Council

Mayoral Profile - Councillor Mrs Veronica Philpott

The Right Worshipful, The Town Mayor of Dover 2013/14

Veronica (Ronnie) was born and bred in the Tower Hamlets area of Dover and is currently living in Odo Road.  She was born in No. 7 but moved to 35 with her older brother Clive (Wally) Bowles when their grandparents became their guardians.  She is married to Christopher who worked as a steward on British Rail, Stena Line and P&O Cross Channel Ferries and has a son Shaun who works in the care sector with young people with autism in Folkestone.

Ronnie attended St Bartholomew's infant school in Widred Road and moved through the schools finishing at Astor Senior School.  She left school and worked in Hilton's, a shoe shop in Dover where Vision Express is now.  In 1966 she went to work at the then White Cliffs Hotel, now the Marina. She left when her son was born and was then a carer for her grandparents.  During this time in Odo Road Ronnie and two neighbours took on the job as organisers for the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee street party which gradually became a yearly event staged at Christmas.  This became a real community event for young and old alike with dinners for senior citizens and a Christmas party for the children until the late 1980's. In 1989 Ronnie became a care worker at Ryder House working with adults who have learning difficulties.  She continued to work there for 18 years becoming assistant manager.

Whilst still working she became a town councillor for Tower Hamlets Ward and was a part of the team to set up the Tower Hamlets Forum.  In 2009 with Deputy Mayor, Sue Jones, Ronnie took on the role of Deputy Mayoress.  This resulted in two further years 2009/10 and 2010/2011 of a very happy union, this time as Mayoress to Sue's Mayoral role.  Ronnie saw this as wonderful opportunity to serve the people and to promote the town they both love.

This year Ronnie is proud to have been elected as Mayor for the forthcoming year and hopes she can make the people she meets have the same pride in their town as she has.