Councillor Barry Dyke is set to become Chesterfield’s 384th Mayor and will lead a celebration parade on Saturday 17 May.
Councillor Dyke will be sworn in as civic head for the borough at Chesterfield Borough Council’s Annual Council Meeting on Wednesday 14 May.
His wife, Marie Dyke, will take up the role of Mayoress. Councillor Shirley Niblock will be appointed as Deputy Mayor with her husband, Paul Niblock, serving as Deputy Consort.
Chesterfield residents can come and celebrate Chesterfield’s new Mayor at the annual Civic Parade which will take place from 10.15am on Saturday 17 May in the town centre. The parade will include a procession through the town and a service at the Church of St Mary and All Saints (Crooked Spire).
Councillor Barry Dyke said: “I’m honoured to take on this role and look forward to meeting members of our community right across the borough. I can’t wait to get started on fundraising for the three incredible charities that I have chosen to support through this year’s Mayor’s Appeal.”
The Mayor’s Appeal will be raising funds for Poolsbrook Social Welfare Scheme, Chesterfield Royal Hospital Trust Charity, and Staveley Armed Forces and Veterans Appreciation.
The Civic Parade is an opportunity to celebrate the new Mayor. The parade will leave from the Town Hall on Rose Hill at 10.40am and will head through the town centre to the Church of St Mary and All Saints (Crooked Spire) where there will be a service at 11am. At noon the parade will return to the Town Hall.
There will be several dignitaries from across Derbyshire in attendance at the parade, along with Aldermen and former Mayors of Chesterfield, and groups such as the Royal British Legion and uniformed youth organisations.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the parade and church service, with seats being allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Councillor Barry Dyke and Marie Dyke replace Councillor Jenny Flood and Heather Beardsmore who served as Mayor and Mayoress for the 2024 to 2025 civic year.
About the Mayor, Councillor Barry Dyke
Barry was born and raised in Renishaw by his father, along with his four sisters and three brothers after his mother passed away when Barry was only one year old. Barry was educated at Renishaw Juniors and Westfield Comprehensive School at Mosborough. After leaving school, Barry worked in a building merchants’ yard in Eckington for 12 months on a Youth Training Scheme. He then briefly worked at Renishaw Park Colliery.
At the beginning of the miner’s strike, Barry moved to Poolsbrook to live with his sister. In 1985, Barry met Marie through a mutual friend. In the early days of their relationship, Barry would walk miles from Poolsbrook to Hady via Westwood to spend time with Marie. They got engaged in 1986 and moved into their house in 1988, where they still live today. In 1992, Barry and Marie got married and together they raised their two children Kelly and Jamie.
Barry became a Staveley Town Councillor in 1999 after being the Chair of Middlecroft Tenants and Residents Association, where he first became a Councillor representing Middlecroft at Staveley Town Council.
In 2011, Barry became a Chesterfield Borough Councillor where he currently represents Staveley Central Ward. After 14 years of serving as a Borough Councillor, Barry says that if he can help one person in his ward, he feels he has achieved something great. Barry has always felt the need to help people, just as his father helped him and his siblings.
During Barry’s downtime, you can find him carp fishing at Poolsbrook Country Park or spending time with his grandchildren – Abbie and her partner Alex, Summer, Erika and Eddie. Barry is also a supporter of Nottingham Forest Football Club.
About the Mayoress, Marie Dyke
Marie was born and raised in Hasland by her parents, Harold and Margaret, and with her sister, Pauline. The family later moved to Hady where they were educated at Hasland Hall School.
After leaving school, Marie went on to find employment at the iconic Aquarius Night Club on Sheffield Road and at Ringwood Hall as a silver service waitress. Marie has worked at a food factory outside Chesterfield for the last 32 years as a line manager.
Marie has developed a professional attitude in her workplace which contrasts her more relaxed home-life personality. Marie enjoys reading and going on holiday, especially to Salou, Spain with her family and best friends of nearly 40 years Michelle and Mavis.
Being born in December, Marie particularly loves the Christmas period where she and Barry host Christmas Dinner every year for her whole family.
