The new Chairman of Durham County Council has announced his support for a hospice as his official charity.
Cllr Watts Stelling, who takes over from retiring Chairman, former Cllr Katie Corrigan, has chosen to use his year in the post to fundraise for the Lanchester-based Willow Burn Hospice, which provides specialist supportive, palliative and end of life care.
Cllr Stelling was elected as Chairman at the council’s annual meeting in May and will be supported in his duties over the coming year by Cllr Beaty Bainbridge, who will serve as Vice Chairman.
The 69-year-old is the second longest-serving member of Durham County Council, having represented the Leadgate and Medomsley ward since 2001. He previously served as a Derwentside District Councillor since May 1999.
A former pupil of Leadgate Junior School and Moorside Secondary Modern, Cllr Stelling studied at Consett Technical College and Newcastle Polytechnic and has a Diploma in Business Administration from Newcastle University.
On leaving school, Cllr Stelling was an Apprentice Professional Footballer at Derby County under Brian Clough. After a year out with injury, he also played in the Northern League for Stanley Crook, Consett, Evenwood, Esh Winning and also Rookhope and Annfield Plain between 1970 and 1983.
He worked as an Industrial Analytical Chemist at Consett Steelworks from 1968 until 1980, then at Newcastle University as a Laboratory Manager until his retirement.
Cllr Stelling was married to his wife Yvonne until her death from breast cancer in 2017 and has two daughters and two grandchildren.
Cllr Stelling said: “I’m delighted to be able to support Willow Burn Hospice in my role as Chairman of the council. The staff and volunteers there do such an amazing job, providing care, comfort and compassion at the end of life, supporting not only patients but also their families and friends at a time when they need it most.
“It is an honour to represent the council and I’m looking forward to spending the next 12 months promoting our fantastic county, meeting with residents and raising money for my chosen charity.”
Paul Jackson, Chair of the Board at Willow Burn Hospice, said: “On behalf of the patients, trustees, staff and volunteers, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Cllr Watts Stelling for choosing Willow Burn Hospice as his Charity of the Year. We would also like to thank the generous staff and members of Durham County Council who have chosen to contribute to the fundraising via payroll giving.
“I look forward to welcoming Cllr Stelling and his colleagues to Willow Burn, so that they can see first-hand the impact that regularly giving small amounts can have on charities and the difference they have made to hospice care in County Durham.”
Vice-Chairman, Cllr Beaty Bainbridge, former shop-owner and school governor, was elected to Durham County Council in 2008 prior to local government reorganisation in 2009.
She currently serves on the council’s Area Planning Committee (North), as well as its Corporate Parenting Panel and Mountsett Crematorium Joint Committee.
Retiring Chairman, Katie Corrigan, would like to thank everyone who donated to her chosen charity for 2020-21. In her second year as Chairman, the former Belmont ward councillor raised a total of £5,954.11 for the Fire Fighter’s Charity, through activities including a Christmas jumper appeal; a sponsored bike ride, cycled by a fellow councillor; and direct donations from staff, elected members, the public, parish councils and other local organisations.
