Character
Jane Rutter ,
Mayor of Winchester
Words : Sue Hughes Pictures : Courtesy of Jane Rutter
RIGHT : Jane Rutter
Fired up by two general elections in 1974 and coming from a background of local authority and family Liberal political involvement , Winchester ’ s latest Mayor ’ s past was somewhat predetermined . Jane Rutter ’ s baptism was of water , however , not fire .
That ’ s because when the landlocked county of Rutland became absorbed into part of Leicester , Jane campaigned for artificial lake Rutland Water to be called just that , rather than Empingham Reservoir – it ’ s Europe ’ s largest man-made lake and has since been voted a top tourist attraction . Jane collected 5,000 signatures before heading off to the University of Canterbury to study Economics with Politics .
At 24 she started working for the Liberal Party in Yorkshire as a regional agent organising conferences , training and supporting constituency parties . The SDP-Liberal Alliance made the 1983 general election a huge challenge for local parties who had to ‘ share ’ half the seats with their partner party . Early in 1987 she met Duncan , a trainee solicitor who was to become her husband , then treasurer of the Leeds West Liberal Democrat party .
“ After the 1987 election I felt it was time to get a proper job ,” said Jane , the 817th Mayor of Winchester and Liberal Democrat councillor for The Worthys .
She worked in public relations for a couple of years , but was then very much a stay at home mum around bringing up the couple ’ s three children , Katy , Matthew and Rosie ( who shares her older sister ’ s birth date ). Matthew surprised her by flying in from San Francisco for Mayor-making .
“ I enjoyed my time with the children when young and I think it makes a difference to family life . There are many more pressures on young families these days , and it is hard to find a balance .” Jane still worked around the children , taking jobs ranging from childminder to part time administrative work from home . Duncan ’ s work brought the family to Winchester in 1995 and Jane became very involved in the local community in Kings Worthy and then Headbourne Worthy , through the church , schools , groups , setting up two local toddler groups and , especially , music .
Jane , a member of the Waynflete Singers , has chosen a diverse range of charities to support , two national and three local : Combat Stress , Winchester Youth Counselling , Music For All , Street Reach and Home Start .
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