Lord Mayor of Southampton reflects on busy year in post

The 801st Mayor of Southampton and the city’s second Lord Mayor, Cllr Valerie Laurent has been the wearer of the ceremonial robes since 2023.

But she will be donning them for the last time on Wednesday, when she will hand over the reins during the annual Mayor Making Ceremony at the Guildhall.

Councillor David Shields will then take up the role of Lord Mayor.

Known for hosting impressive fundraisers and attending various events, Cllr Laurent is a familiar face in the city.

But despite the prestige associated with this role, she had a rather muddy start in life.

Cllr Valerie Laurent (Image: Newsquest)

“I grew up in North Devon, milking cows and mucking out stables on my parents’ farm”, she recalled.

“Us children used to make all the muck piles into a castle.”

The 77-year-old spent most of her youth outdoors, either helping her parents with the animals or riding horses.

Cllr Laurent said: “I've had experiences nobody in the city would probably know about.

“It was a wonderful life, very free.

“Sadly, my horse sat on me one day and smashed me up, so I had to look for something else to do.

“I moved to Hampshire in my 20s after that.”

But living in a remote part of the West country – where another property could not be seen for 14 miles – is a stark contrast to Southampton.

Accustomed to a childhood creating her ‘own entertainment’, Cllr Laurent soon followed various pursuits in the bright lights of Southampton.

She embarked on a successful career as a chef and became involved with the young Conservatives.

As she looked towards her retirement, Cllr Laurent soon realised she wanted to involve herself in politics once more and help other people.

She was elected as a Conservative councillor for Harefield in 2016 and has remained in that post ever since.

She said: “I think being a councillor is very, very important as you can help other people.

“You’re in a position where you can do something about a problem, which can make a big difference.”

And helping people she has done in abundance, hosting countless fundraisers during her tenure as mayor.

From a masked ball to a fashion show, more than £30,000 has been raised for three charities – Saints Foundation, Southampton City Farm, and Sea Cadets Southampton.

Cllr Laurent said: “We have had a very busy year, and I couldn’t have done it all by myself.

“We formed a charity team made up of six volunteers and we worked extremely hard.”

But what is her most memorable moment as Lord Mayor of Southampton?

A royal visit to the city.

She said: “Meeting Princess Anne when she opened the new Citizens Advice Bureau in Brunswick Place last year was memorable.

“I had the honour of showing her about and we just stood there chatting.

"That felt special."

The experience of being Southampton's second Lord Mayor is one Cllr Laurent will cherish for a lifetime.

She said: “One thing I will take away from being Lord Mayor is the absolute honour, and how humbling it is.

“When you are in this role you get to see what is underneath the surface of Southampton – and that is all the people doing voluntary work, helping the community, and making life better for people.”