History was made in the city of Wolverhampton as a former nurse becomes the first black person appointed mayor.
She goes by the name, Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, the first politician of African Caribbean heritage to hold the post in 200 years.
She will be the 11th female mayor of the city. Councillor Sandra Samuels will take over from Councillor Greg Brackenridge.
Her appointment follows the election of Joanne Anderson in Liverpool, who became the first black woman to lead a major UK city as mayor in 2021.
Councillor Samuels said she hopes to inspire others from underrepresented groups to believe in themselves and know that anything is possible.
She continued: “This is why the theme for my year in office will be Dare to Dream. it’s the ability to hope and desire a better future.”
After 40 years of career working as a nurse in the NHS, she became a councilor in 2004 and currently represents the Ettingshall ward for the Labour Party.
In 2015, she was presented with an OBE by the Queen for services to local government and politics.
The new mayor’s chosen charities will be Wolverhampton African Caribbean Community Initiative (ACCI), Compton Care, and Wolverhampton Sickle Cell Care and Activity Centre.
Dr. Michael Hardacre is set to become deputy mayor from 2022 to 2023.
