The outgoing Mayor of Redbridge has raised more than £90,000 for a charity which provides adventure play opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged children, young people and adults.
Councillor Debbie Kaur-Thiara presented the cheque to Woodford Green charity Every Life Has A Purpose (Elhap) at Redbridge Council's annual meeting on Tuesday, May 21.
She said: "I am extremely grateful for the privilege and honour to have served as the mayor for this wonderful borough for the past year. I am particularly proud of having raised more than £90,280 for my chosen charity Elhap which offers children with disabilities a safe play environment.
"I am also very grateful to my family, the mayor's appeal committee, colleagues and friends who have supported me this year.
"Without them we would not have achieved so much. A particular highlight being when we achieved third place in the New Year's Parade out of 32 boroughs, winning £8,000 for Elhap."
The mayor and her committee organised 14 major events to raise funds for the charity, including Winter Wonderland, Redbridge Has Got Talent and a "jailbreak" event with three of the borough's MPs.
Dave Charlton, chairman of Elhap, said: "A big thank you to the mayor and her committee for all the time and effort they put into raising such a significant amount of money and for raising our profile in the community.
"In all the years I've been involved with Elhap nobody has done more to support us."
Leader of the council, Councillor Jas Athwal, said Cllr Kaur-Thiara had served the office of mayor "with grace and distinction in every way".
He said: "Everything Cllr Kaur-Thiara did she did with dignity, with confidence, and with class. She has raised so much for Elhap and her work will make a difference to many people for years to come."
Councillor Linda Huggett, leader of the Redbridge Conservatives, also thanked Cllr Kaur-Thiara for her service.
She said: "You have been a great ambassador for the borough.
"You have treated everyone with dignity, compassion and kindness."
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