NEW Devizes Mayor Andy Geddes who fell in love with Devizes at first sight has chosen charities close to his heart that he knows help the community.

Retired civil servant Mr Geddes, 65, of Nursteed Road, Devizes has two adult children with disabilities and will be raising funds for Devizes and District Association for the Disabled which operates from the Nursteed Community Centre and Wiltshire Sight based at Browfort in Devizes.

His daughter Vicki has a rare disorder which affects her mobility while his son Tim is registered blind. He said: "I know how important it is for families to have organisations that offer support."

He will also be supporting Devizes OpenDoors which helps homeless people. He said: "I want to help the whole community."

Mr Geddes grew up in Essex and East London and has been married to Chrissi for 44 years after they met while both were at university in London.

He said: "My connection with Devizes began some 25 years ago on a visit while in Swindon. We walked around the corner from the Little Brittox into the Market Place, and I fell in love at first sight. I said to her there and then that one day I wanted to live here. I was fortunate to be able to buy my first house in the town only four years later."

His civic work started when he was elected to Roundway Parish Council and then he went on to stand as a Guardian in a by-election for east ward on the town council and became a member of the neighbourhood plan steering group.

He expects his year in office to be busy as the town council takes on more and more services from Wiltshire Council. He said: "I’m sure it will be no surprise that the future of our Market Place, especially in the light of Wiltshire’s proposed car parking changes, is at the top of this priority."

Grandmother Judy Rose has been elected as deputy mayor and she too fell in love with the town after a visit from Swindon in 1983 with her husband. She said: "We walked into Devizes Market Place one cold sunny January morning and fell in love with the town. We moved here shortly afterwards and have now been resident for 35 years."

She has been a town councillor since 2013 but her involvement with issues started back in 2001 when Market Place trees were cut down.

She said: "I want to continue to stand up for the things that matter to our community. Being chosen as deputy mayor is an immense honour and privilege, and one I hope to fulfil diligently, supporting the Mayor, Councillor Andy Geddes, and working for my fellow residents and for the good of the town."

She has two adult children and a grand-daughter.