Tributes to Biggleswade community stalwart Doris Brunt - the first woman to become the town's mayor

Tribute has been paid to a community stalwart who died at the weekend.

Popular and well-known Doris Brunt was a pioneer for women in Bedfordshire, who became Biggleswade’s first woman Mayor and worked tirelessly for the community before finally stepping down from public life in 2018 at the age of 88.

In 1956 Doris was elected to Biggleswade Urban District Council, the first woman to do so.

From 1976 to 1983 Doris served on Biggleswade Town Council, becoming the first woman Mayor of Biggleswade.

Born in the East End of London, she was evacuated to Biggleswade along with her mother and sister in 1940.

She met husband Victor –also a well-known figure in the Biggleswade community – in 1946 at The Avenue Club, a club for war workers in the town.

And she was a member of the Biggleswade Branch of the Workers Education Association since Victor reformed it in 1948.

Doris and Victor successfully campaigned on many issues including campaigns to prevent the closure of Biggleswade Hospital, preventing the closure of Stratton School Farm and funding for Nursery Schools in Bedfordshire.

And Doris argued successfully for an end to the Biggleswade workhouse, which was replaced with a training workshop for adults with learning disabilities.

Julian Vaughan, Labour Parliamentary candidate for NE Bedfordshire 2017 and 2019, said: “I spoke to Doris frequently during my first General Election campaign in 2017 and she was an inspiration to me and all who met her.”