THE new Mayor of Chippenham, Coun Richard Meek, hopes to use his year in office to promote the town and bring hard-working local charities into the spotlight.

Coun Meek, 55, of Wentworth Close, will take on his new role at the mayor making ceremony at Chippenham Town Hall tonight.

And the many demands of his new role, with dozens of engagements, should not cause any problems at home because his wife Karin is also a town councillor.

"It will be a busy year," said Coun Meek. "I've no doubt I'll need a holiday at the end of it but I hope to have achieved something."

Coun Meek said he will announce tonight he has chosen the Chippenham Hospital League of Friends as his charity for his mayoral year.

"It was a difficult decision choosing a charity," he said.

"The Mayor's Charity doesn't raise a huge amount usually about £1,500 so I wanted it to make a difference, to benefit local people, and in the widest age range."

Coun Meek has been a member of the town council for six years, but he has been an active member of the town community for much longer.

He moved to the town in 1968, to work for the Ministry of Defence in Bath. After six years he moved to Portsmouth, but he returned to Chippenham in 1983.

Both his children were born while he lived in the town, and they went to school here, so Coun Meek feels he has deep roots in the area.

"I want to raise the profile of the town as much as I can," he said. "I also wish to work closely with groups like the Chippenham Lions, and the Rotary Club. These charities do not get as much exposure as they deserve."

Coun Meek said he was a great believer in the tradition of the mayor's role. "It's part of our history," he said. "People do like to see the mayor at local events wearing the chain of office."

Coun Meek still works for the MoD, as a supply specialist. The Meeks are keen caravanners, and they enjoy walking and badminton.

The new deputy mayor is Coun Desna Allen.