It is with great sadness that Bedford Borough Conservative councillors have learned that their friend and colleague Cllr Carole Ellis has died after a long illness.
Carole was first elected to Bedford Borough Council in 1991 as a representative of Great Barford Ward. During her time as a councillor she achieved a huge amount both within and outside the Council.
In her first few years as a councillor she established the Furniture Link charitable trust which gave volunteers the opportunity to learn new skills by refurbishing furniture whilst gaining experience in the workplace. She was also active in raising funds for charitable causes such as the Heart Unit at Bedford Hospital and Willington Riding for the Disabled.
Alongside her work as a councillor Carole served as a magistrate for 6 years. She was also a member of Great Barford Parish Council for 22 years and a Governor of Great Barford Lower School for 20 years.
Carole was Civic Mayor of Bedford Borough in the years 1999 – 2000 and with her husband, Eddie she hosted Nelson Mandela when he visited Bedford to re-dedicate the bust of his friend and anti-apartheid campaigner, Archbishop Trevor Huddleston. During this time she also planted a tree in Russell Park to commemorate the life of Anne Frank.
Between 2009 – 2012 Carole was the Leader of the Council’s Conservative Group. She was Chair of the Corporate Services Committee until 2014 and she also served on the Licensing Committee. In her years as a representative of Great Barford Ward she had a reputation for working tirelessly for her constituents.
Cllr Stephen Moon, Carole’s fellow Great Barford Ward councillor said:
‘Carole will be greatly missed. She took her role as councillor very seriously and worked hard on behalf of the residents of the villages she represented for so long. During her long illness the constant stream of visitors to her bedside, which included many from other political parties, showed the regard in which she was held. She set a very high standard and Bedford Borough Council will be all the poorer with her passing.’