Page 122 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Cllr. Betty Passingham

Redditch Mayor in 1983

A very popular person, the flags flew at half mast in
Redditch after "people's champion" and Redditch
Labour councillor died in 2008. Her husband Ron was
the Mayor of Redditch in 1987. She served the area
since the borough council's formation in 1974 and
had greeted the Queen to the town in 1983 in her
position as town mayor.

1927 - 2008

Betty Passingham

(Source: Redditch Indicator)

Source/Researched by: Birmingham Mail

Life and Times of Cllr. Betty Passingham

Flags flew at half mast in Redditch after "people’s champion" and Redditch Labour
councillor Betty Passingham died following a long fight against leukaemia.

The Batchley ward councillor, aged 80, had served the area since the borough council’s
formation in 1974 and had greeted the Queen to the town in 1983 in her position as town
mayor.

Today, political friends and foes paid tribute to the council stalwart who had worked
shoulder to shoulder with Redditch people over the past four decades in a bid to make
the town a better place.

Former Redditch Borough Council leader, Phil Mould, said: "Betty really cared about
people in the town and without her a lot of the things we take for granted today would
not be here today.

"She worked tremendously hard for disadvantaged people and was well known for her
fight for the creation of a Redditch hospital and then her continued fight to make sure it
was not closed down.

"Life was never dull when she was around and people of all political persuasions loved
the fact that there was never any pretence with her - she said what she thought and
never held any animosity towards you afterwards."

Among Coun Passingham’s achievements was the creation of the Crossways Women’s
Refuge, The All Women’s House and the Redditch Play Council. She was also heavily
involved with the Community Relations Council, of which she was a founder member.

In 1986 she helped forge the towns links with Mtwara in Tanzania with the help of her
husband Ron.

Page: 122 © RLHS 2015