Cathedral parishioner is new Norwich Lord Mayor 

St John’s Catholic Cathedral parishioner and shop supervisor Vivien Thomas has been welcomed in as Lord Mayor of Norwich for the civic year 2024-25.

Along with the new Sheriff of Norwich Sirajul Islam she was sworn in at a formal ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday May 21 attended by the Dean of the Cathedral, the Cathedral Manager and a shop volunteer.

First elected in 2010, Lord Mayor Cllr Vivien Thomas says she became involved in politics to make a difference to the lives of people in the city. During the ceremony, she said what a “privilege” it had been to serve them as a councillor and that it will be an “honour” to represent them as Lord Mayor.

Vivien moved to Norwich 17 years ago with her husband Vaughan (a fellow Norwich City Labour cllr and previous Mayor of Norwich in 2019) and their family and soon made St John’s their parish. Vivien has been a volunteer in the shop for many years and in 2023 took on the role of Shop Supervisor.

She has worked in schools and with young people in the city and understands the struggles faced in this area. At the ceremony she talked about the importance of closing the gap for those facing “stark inequalities” including people struggling with housing, poverty, and social isolation.

Vivien and Sirajul have chosen The Benjamin Foundation as the civic charity for this year. Supporting children, young people and families, the charity supports over 3,000 individuals across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Pictured above: Lord Mayor Cllr Vivien Thomas (right) and Sheriff of Norwich Sirajul Islam. Picture courtesy of Norwich City Council.