BOLTON’S next Mayor is looking forward to welcoming the ‘beginning of a new era’ at her old primary school next year.

Cllr Elaine Sherrington has been chosen to take over from Roger Hayes as the town’s first citizen in May.

And the 68-year-old has already earmarked the opening of the new Chorley New Road Primary building as one of the highlights of her year in office.

The grandmother-of-four, who was born in Stretford but moved to Horwich at the age of four, said: “One of the big things in 2018 will be the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, which I will be involved in commemorating.

“The building of the new Chorley New Road Primary School is also something I am really looking forward to seeing because that is where I went to school. I remember being one of the first pupils to go into the extension that they built at the old infant school, which has been turned into apartments now. When I went into the junior school I was also one of the first to use its new building.

“So I am really looking forward to seeing the new school. It is really the beginning of a new era there.”

Cllr Sherrington, who has represented Tonge with The Haulgh since 1999, has chosen her daughter, Samantha, to serve as her Mayoress.

The Labour councillor, who has lived in Bolton since 1979, added: “I wanted to have my Mayoress be someone in the family.

“My daughter is a very busy person, so she won’t be with me all of the time, but I thought it would be a really nice thing to share with her.

“It will be something a bit different and I am really looking forward to a busy year.

“To step into that non-political role for a year will be a very interesting experience.

“It is a great opportunity to meet people from across the town.

“There are so many good people in Bolton doing really fantastic things, so it will be nice to get around and see as many as I can.”

She has chosen Bolton Hospice, Bolton Lads and Girls Club, Fortalice, and the Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme as her chosen charities to raise funds for during her year as Mayor.

Cllr Sherrington, who is chair of governors at Moorgate Primary, said: “I wanted all of my chosen charities to be Bolton-based. There are lots of other charities that I am very fond of, but which have a more national slant.

“These four charities all do marvellous work that is all about helping people here in Bolton.”

Cllr Sherrington currently holds the housing brief on the council’s cabinet and says she also takes a keen interest in Bolton’s environmental issues.

She added: “The things that I am always most proud of are when I can see we have made a difference to people’s lives.

“They might seem like small things a lot of the time, but they mean a lot to people.

“I am also very interested in things to do with the environment.

“The solar farm at Salford Road with the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority was something I was proud to be involved in because I think that is the way forward for the future.”

Cllr Sherrington was named as the prospective Mayor after last week’s meeting of the full council.