Tribute to borough councillor who was '˜passionate' about Hemel

Conservative Sharon Adshead, who served Adeyfield West for Dacorum Borough Council (DBC), passed away in Watford General Hospital on Thursday, July 28 following a battle with cancer.

She is survived by her sons Denis and Graham – who is a fellow councillor – her grandson Luke and her two younger brothers, Brian and Rick Hindley.

Son Graham, 30, who serves Adeyfield East, said: “Mum had always been enthused by what I was doing locally, so she stood in the May elections last year.

“She was very interested in the regeneration of the town centre – she was passionate about Hemel.

“Throughout her life, she always had very altruistic jobs and was always helping others.”

Councillor Adshead lived in Hemel on and off since the early 60s, when her father got a job at steel strip construction firm Dexion on Maylands.

The family lived in Larchwood Road, Adeyfield and Councillor Adshead became a regular worshipper at St Paul’s Church in Highfield.

In later life, she was very active both there and at St Mary’s in the Old Town.

In her early twenties, the mother-of-two joined RAF’s Air Traffic Control before marrying in 1976 and moving to Manchester.

Councillor Adshead and Graham, who was then aged 12, moved back to Hemel in 1998 where she took on various roles in the civil service, living in Grovehill for the rest of her life.

In her role as borough councillor, she was involved with both the community overview scrutiny committee and the licensing committee, with a special interest in community centres and sports provision.

Colleague and fellow councillor Ron Tindall, who served Adeyfield West alongside Councillor Adshead, said: “I am sad and will miss her, even though we were in different political parties I am grateful for her work in helping our ward’s residents.”

Sally Marshall, chief executive of DBC, said: “We were deeply saddened to hear the news that Councillor Sharon Adshead had passed away last week.

“She will be missed by her fellow Councillors and the officers who worked with her at the council.

“Councillor Adshead had served as a Dacorum Borough Councillor since May 2015 representing the Adeyfield West ward and I know from talking to Councillor Adshead and members of her family she was immensely proud to have been elected. Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time.”

The funeral will be at 12 noon at Garston Crematorium on Wednesday, August 10.