THE new Mayor of Enfield wants to focus on raising money and awareness for health charities during her year in office.

Upper Edmonton councillor Christiana During was elected as the borough's new mayor on May 4 after serving deputy for a year.

And she told the Enfield Independent that she wants to support the North London Hospice's bid to build a new centre in Winchmore Hill on land it acquired in 2008.

Cllr During said: “There's a lot of support for older people but not enough for young people – they have long-term illnesses too and need a better quality of care.

“This new centre in Winchmore Hill will provide that.”

The group are planning a day hospice for terminally ill patients on the land in Barrowell Green and secured a £750,000 grant from the Department of Health last year – but need more money to make the building a reality.

The Mayor added that she also wants to raise money for the Nightingale Community Hospice Trust based in Lancaster Road, who help care for cancer patients.

The mother-of-three has spent her life in health – she worked as assistant director of nursing during a long career at North Middlesex Hospital until she retired in 2000.

She said: “I then decided to become a councillor because I have worked my whole life in hospitals and I thought we needed better and wanted to influence change.

“So I thought – take the step up to Mayor and go for an interesting challenge.”

“What I hope to achieve in the next year is to get a better relationship between all the groups in the community.”

She is the first female black African Mayor of the borough – born in the former British colony of Sierra Leone, she moved to the UK in 1962 to take an NHS course in midwifery and nursing at The Whittington Hospital and got married.

She said: “One of the things that made me want to come to Britain was when we learned about civic duty in school and the role of the Mayor – I never imagined I would be qualified to be one myself.”

Cllr During also backed next month's peace march being organised in Edmonton to try to combat teen knife crime in the borough.

The position of Mayor is a mostly ceremonial position that holds little power – but it is seen as a ceremonial distinction on a serving councillor that is respected by all parties.

For the next year, Cllr During will devote most of her time to civic functions and will preside over full council meetings, as well as acting as the returning officer at elections.