EDM 1689: Dame Norma Redfearn CBE

That this House warmly salutes Dame Norma Redfearn who has recently retired after a long and successful life in education and as the Mayor of North Tyneside Council; recognises her pioneering work over thirty years in primary and secondary schools during which one of her schools won a prestigious award from the Royal Institute of British architects for its playground design and she established a breakfast club, supported by Greggs, to increase attendance and attainment as well as a community wing where parents could secure qualifications; notes that she became the first headteacher to receive the prize for Public Management Leadership from the Office for Public Management in 1997; further salutes her work as a councillor and three terms with increased majorities as Mayor during which she transformed Whitley Bay’s seafront and the Spanish City dome that vastly improved the image of the town while she also led the pursuit of devolution for the North East; and believes that these achievements and dedication to public service explain why she is widely known in the North East by her first name and respected as a proud and determined daughter of Wallsend, the trade union movement and the Labour Party.