BOLTON'S next mayor has spoken of her passion for helping the young people of the borough, before her inauguration next week.

Cllr Elaine Sherrington says she is feeling “excited, but a little bit apprehensive” ahead of being sworn in at the town hall on Wednesday.

But the Labour councillor says she is proud to be succeeding the Liberal Democrats’ Cllr Roger Hayes in the role.

Cllr Sherrington said: “I’m really happy to be doing this and hope that everybody in Bolton is happy with it and there are lots of things I can go along to and see what people in Bolton are doing.

“I hope I have an excellent year as mayor and get lots of things done for lots of different people.”

The grandmother-of-four says she will be doing as much as she can to benefit young people in the borough, particularly those in difficult circumstances.

Her chosen charities for the year include Bolton Lads and Girls Club and Bolton Young People’s Housing Scheme.

She said: “There are lots of things I’m hoping to do with children, and also to celebrate young people. Most of my charities relate to young people. I’m hoping I’m going to be invited to things that could bring greater encouragement and aspirational things for young people."

Cllr Sherrington, who was born in Stretford but raised in Horwich from the age of four, has also named Bolton Hospice and Fortalice women’s refuge among her chosen charities.

Her first job was working at Beehive Mill.

And she is planning to celebrate Bolton’s mill workers at a special service at Bolton parish church.

Cllr Sherrington, who believes it will be the first event of its kind in the borough, said: “It’s to say ‘thank you’ to there have ever been in Bolton because, quite simply, we have given praise to the mill owners over the years but if it had not been for the actual mill workers Bolton would never have grown the way it did.”

And she will also be highlighting how 2018 marks the centenaries of many important events and historical landmarks.

These include the all men over 21 and property-owning women over 30 getting the vote, the outbreak of possibly the country’s biggest ever flu epidemic and the creation of the RAF.

Most notably, however, it marks 100 years since the end of the First World War.

“We have always done things over the years for Armistice Day and obviously it’s very solemn. I’m hoping we can do something that isn’t solemn, to celebrate the end of the First World War. It’s just as important to celebrate these things, and I’m hoping that will be the case,” said Cllr Sherrington.

Cllr Sherrington will also be inviting a different chaplain to every council meeting.

Away from her civic duties Cllr Sherrington enjoys spending time with her “two wonderful daughters,” Samantha and Joanna and her four grandchildren.

Her passions and interests include a love for travelling by train.

“I’m not a trainspotter, but I travel everywhere by train,” she said. “I’ve been on the Orient Express in the past and the Starlight Express on the west coast of America.

“I do think train travel is the best thing in the world.”

And she also enjoys gardening, with her own being a haven for wildlife of all types from frogs, toads and birds to hedgehogs and “birds of every shape and colour you can get in this country”.

But she added: “Unfortunately I will probably have to get someone to help me out with it now, I probably won’t have any time.”