Alderwoman's legacy honoured with memorial bench

People gathered for a private ceremony to unveil the new bench in memory of alderwoman Paddy Bradley

A memorial bench has been unveiled in memory of a former councillor.

The tribute, in Muchall Park, Penn, Wolverhampton, was unveiled last week in a private ceremony with family members, friends and former colleagues of Paddy Bradley.

Councillor Bradley was first elected in the Penn ward in 1972, and went on to serve for almost 40 years while holding a number of roles, including leader of the Conservative group and deputy mayor.

In 2012, she was honoured with the title of honorary alderwoman, in recognition of her contributions and commitment. She passed away aged 85 in June 2022.

"Paddy was one of those people who once you met her, you never forgot her," said mayor of Wolverhampton, Craig Collingswood.

"A strong personality who was never afraid to speak her mind, Paddy was a councillor of the old school who put the people of the city before all else."

He said it was a fitting location for the memorial, "a place she served with distinction as a councillor for almost 40 years and the place she also called home".

The bench is located in the Penn ward, which Ms Bradley represented for almsot 40 years

Tracey Smith, Ms Bradley's daughter, said her mother would have been "proud and probably very humbled" by the tribute.

"People still remember her name now even though she stopped being a councillor 13 years ago," she said. "The world is definitely a duller place without her in it.

"This location in the park is the perfect place for the bench, somewhere you can come and sit and relax and think about her. Me and my sister Maxine will definitely come down here often and bring the dog."

Council leader Stephen Simkins said he used to lock horns with Ms Bradley at council meetings, but that politics stopped at the door when they left the council chamber.

"She always put Penn and the city first," he said.

"Paddy was a real great of Wolverhampton politics, a big hitter, and it is fitting that we recognise the commitment and the work and effort she put in over the years."