The Mayor was born in Derbyshire, before moving to Liverpool at the age of 18 to study home economics at a teacher training college.
She went on to teach at various schools in Liverpool and Cheshire.
After her late husband Ernie left the Army, she gave up teaching and they bought a newsagent shop - the first of many businesses together - where Cherry took an active role in the Newsagents Federation, becoming its first female President of the Mersey Dee, North Wales and the Isle of Man District. After the loss of her husband, Cherry carried on the business with her daughter.
Cherry has been a Magistrate for 33 years, prompting her to go to university to obtain a Law Degree and become a qualified Solicitor, which she practiced in Cheshire for several years.
Cherry has been a Councillor for 16 years, representing Clatterbridge Ward, which she believes to be the best in Wirral!
She has also been a member of Wirral’s Foster Panel for 14 years.
Cherry is a founder Trustee of IncuBabies, a charity which is very close to her heart. Run entirely by volunteers, it is a proud holder of the Queens Award for Voluntary Service.
Cherry has also been a Soroptimist for 25 years and has served as its Regional President for Cheshire, Wirral and North Wales.
She has a daughter, son and five grandchildren as well as a new great granddaughter. Because of her son and daughter’s work commitments, she is unable to call on them to support her as consort, so close friend Sheila Clarke has stepped into the role.
Mayoress of Wirral
Sheila Clarke MBE
Sheila was born and raised in Crewe and moved to Wirral over 40 years ago. She was married to Joe for 54 years, before he passed away in 2021. They had two children, Chris and Catherine, and she is now the proud grandmother to two.
In June 2004 Sheila was elected as Councillor for the Bebington ward, which she served for eight years. During her time as a Councillor, she specialised in Children Services, which included Wirral’s Adoption Panel, schools, youth provision, children centres, special education needs, and all aspects of children’s social care.
Sheila is also a longstanding Independent Member of Wirral’s Fostering Panel with over 20 years’ experience and retains a keen interest in education, in particular early years development.
She is a trustee of two charities. One of these is IncuBabies, which she co-founded as a result of the care that her daughter and grandson received and is very close to her heart.
Sheila is a member of Bebington Soroptimists and a member of the management committee of her Church Community Centre.
In 1992 she was awarded an MBE for Community and Political Service.
To relax, Sheila likes to read and loves everything about Michael Bublé!
Sheila is honoured to support her best friend Cherry as she becomes Mayor of Wirral.
The Mayor's Special Charity Fund
The Mayor’s Charity Appeal is a registered charity which is set up to help support the Mayor’s chosen charity each year.
The Mayor of Wirral for 2024-25 has chosen to raise money for IncuBabies and UK North Blind Sailing Association.
IncuBabies
IncuBabies raises funds for the Neonatal Unit at Wirral Women and Children’s Hospital at Arrowe Park, which provides specialist care to fragile babies who have been born premature or sick in the Wirral, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales areas. Its aim is to help fund the refurbishment of the neonatal unit at Arrowe Park and to support research into illness in preterm babies and a new project supporting post-natal depression for mums on the unit.
UK North Blind Sailing Association
The UK North Blind Sailing Association aims to encourage blind and partially sighted people in the North of England and North Wales to enjoy sailing, reduce isolation and improve emotional and physical wellbeing.
Founded in 2009, the charity operates an open keel boat called ‘Mermerus’ which offers a year-round programme of sailing opportunities, including taking part in regattas on the River Mersey, Menai Straits, Plas Menai and Lake Windermere.
Other contributions
The Mayor’s Special Charity Fund will also make contributions to other Wirral-based charities and voluntary groups at the end of the Mayoral year.
Contact the Mayor's office
Civic Services Officer
The Mayor's Office
Town Hall
Mortimer Street
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH41 5EU
Email: mayor@wirral.gov.uk