Councillor Linda Bird inaugurated as Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich for 2025 to 2026

Councillor Linda Bird has been inaugurated as the new Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich for 2025 to 2026. 

Having lived in Eltham for over 40 years, Councillor Bird has dedicated much of her life to teaching, community service, and public life across Royal Greenwich. She first moved into the borough in 1980, settling in with her husband Ken and their two daughters, and has remained a committed local resident ever since. 

The new Mayor, Councillor Bird said: "I am truly honoured to serve once again as Mayor of this incredible borough.  

“Although this is not my first time as Mayor, it will certainly be different. I was the Mayor during the pandemic and all my visits were online. It’s going to be great getting out and seeing people face to face! Greenwich has shaped my life and given so much to my family, and it is a privilege to give back to the community I care so deeply about. 

“Family is at the heart of everything I do, so I’m proud to have my two daughters Emily and Amy, serving as my consorts during my year as Mayor.” 

Linda’s teaching career has been rooted in local communities, having taught in schools across Eltham, Deptford and Brixton. She also worked as a PE and dance advisor across Lewisham and Greenwich, and is well known for founding Greenwich Youth Dance, a vibrant dance company that gave many young people the opportunity to develop creatively and perform locally. 

In 2002, Linda became Headteacher of Linton Mead Primary School in Thamesmead, where she served for 12 years before retiring from teaching in 2012, concluding a career spanning more than four decades. Since then, she has continued her involvement in community life and has played a hands-on role in supporting her four grandsons. 

Linda was first elected to the council in 2014, representing the Eltham North ward, and now proudly serves as Councillor for Eltham Park and Progress following boundary changes. Over the past 11 years, she has held a range of responsibilities, including Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel, a member of the Planning Board, and a contributor to both the Fostering Panel and the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee. 

This is Councillor Bird’s second term as Mayor. She previously served in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a year full of uncertainty for communities across the borough. During this time, Linda brought together the voices of residents across the borough by publishing a heartfelt book featuring over 200 letters, poems, songs and drawings that captured the spirit and resilience of local communities. 

During her Mayoral year, Councillor Bird has selected two consorts, her daughters Amy Bird- Matthews and Emily Bird-Boughen, she has chosen two local charities to support: 

• Home-Start Greenwich, which offers vital early-years support to new parents, providing wraparound care during the crucial first stages of family life.
• Greenwich and Bexley Hospice Dementia Support Group, a new initiative addressing the growing need for specialist care and support for people living with dementia and their families. 

Deputy Mayor for 2025 to 2026 will be Councillor David Gardner, Ward Councillor for Greenwich Peninsula, who has served the borough from 2002 to 2006, before re-election in 2014, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to public service.