SDLP councillor Paul Doherty is set to become the next Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast.
Councillor Doherty, who represents West Belfast, is the founder of the Foodstock anti-poverty charity.
He will take up the role on June 2, which he was nominated for following a meeting of the SDLP group on Belfast City Council, who praised his “tireless work tackling poverty and empowering people throughout communities with employment and educational programmes”.
Cllr Doherty said it was the “honour” of a lifetime to represent the people of West Belfast in the role.
SDLP Councillor Paul Doherty is set to become the next Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast (Pic: by Kevin Scott)“This is an incredible honour – not just for me, but for the community I come from,” he said.
“I grew up in Turf Lodge, where we faced real struggles, but we also had an incredible sense of community spirit and solidarity which has shaped who I am today.
“To now represent our city in this way is deeply humbling, and I want to use every minute of this year to make a real difference.”
He added: “I got involved in politics as a response to the cycle of poverty that existed not only in my own community, but sadly, right across the North.
“I never dreamed that politics would lead me to the office of Deputy Lord Mayor of our city, but I am immensely proud to have this opportunity and platform to highlight the causes I care so deeply about.”
He has pledged to sue his year as Deputy Lord Mayor to fight poverty across Northern Ireland.
“The challenges facing families in our city stretch far beyond west Belfast, there is no part of the North where the scourge of poverty is not causing pain and inequality,” he said.
“In my year as Deputy Lord Mayor I will be working with council, stakeholders and communities across Belfast to explore what can be done to tackle these issues and will work each and every day to make our city a better place to live, work and visit.
He added: “While this nomination means the world to me – it’s not about me – it’s about how I can use this opportunity to help people.
“Whether it’s through my work at Foodstock or my time on council I have tried to do everything possible to help people who really need it, to put people before politics and that’s what I’ll continue to do in this role.
“Far too many people living in Belfast feel like they don’t have a voice.
“Whether it’s kids going to school without enough to eat, pensioners who are unable to heat their homes, parents struggling to pay the bills or newcomer communities trying to start a new life in Belfast.
“I want to be that voice and to work together to tackle the issues people are dealing with on a daily basis.”