Former nurse elected as North Kesteven District Council chairman

As a former nurse, both within military service and the NHS, new North Kesteven District Council chairman Coun Christine Collard has made physical and mental health support a focus for her forthcoming civic year.

Through her support of Fighting Fit, a Lincolnshire-wide group which helps those who have suffered or who have a diagnosis of cancer, she aims to raise both funds and awareness to help sustain the initiative delivered by the Lincoln City Foundation, including at the council’s Better Gym in Sleaford.

It offers continued support for adults through exercise and social interaction, which is provided by specialist trainers, initially through ten weeks of free sessions.

“As a nurse, I know there is very good research-based evidence, that proves exercise, good mental support and social interaction can help promote positive outcomes when people have been diagnosed with cancer,” said Coun Collard.

Through her own family experience too she has seen how, through a positive attitude and keeping active, the impacts of medical care can be enhanced for cancer patients. Her two sons have both recovered from cancer, one when just 12 years old and suffering with stage three Hodgkin lymphoma and the other as an adult with oesophageal and stomach tumours. She firmly believes that in both cases their outcomes were transformed by the kind of physical and phycological support that Fighting Fit provides.

Coun Collard hopes that through her fundraising efforts more people can be trained up, in order to extend and expand the provision, especially within the district.

More broadly she will look to promote and champion the many opportunities to engage in physical and wellbeing-focused activity across the district – often for free or at low cost – including the forthcoming NK Walking Festival, the programmes at the leisure centres in Sleaford and North Hykeham as well as the Hub, the many Stepping Out Walks and outdoor spaces and active volunteering opportunities within nature such as at the Nettles group in Sleaford.

Her civic year theme of ‘Physical and mental health support in the community’ aligns closely with the Council’s ‘Our Communities’ priority, which seeks to promote the wellbeing, safety, resilience, and health of North Kesteven’s flourishing communities.

“By encouraging physical activity, supporting mental wellbeing, and raising awareness of vital health services, I hope my civic theme will positively contribute to this priority and help strengthen community connections across the District,” she told the Annual Council meeting.

One of two district councillors for Heckington Rural, she was elected chairman of North Kesteven District Council at the Annual Council meeting on Thursday May 14, after just three years on the council, following a year as vice-chairman.

She pledged to undertake the role ‘with a strong sense of responsibility and a genuine commitment to serve the Council and the communities of North Kesteven with fairness, dignity and respect.’

Coun Collard retired to Heckington from West Yorkshire in 2015 – having discovered it to be the country’s driest spot and ideal for walking and being outdoors – and quickly got involved with the former village Lunch Club and the Bowls Club, with which she is still a playing member.

Unfazed when asked to stand as a candidate in the 2024 by-election – approaching it with her characteristic strong work-ethic and sense of being responsible – she saw the potential of ‘another interesting period of my life’.

In readiness for her role as chairman, managing key meetings of the council, celebrating its achievements and representing it in various ways across the coming year, she was vice-chairman last year.

“I feel I have ‘big shoes’ to fill when following Coun Chris Goldson who has been the most exemplary and hard-working role model as Chair of Council,” she said.

Born in Lancashire, with a predominantly rural life, she first came to Lincolnshire as a teenage recruit to RAF Spitalgate, Grantham, after knowing that she wanted to join the RAF and signing up to train as a nurse. Following six weeks basic training she moved and continued nurse training as a Senior Aircraftwoman in Princess Mary’s Royal Airforce Nursing Service. This led to a 30-year career as a qualified nurse, gaining a degree and a teaching qualification, and working as an NHS Matron and Advanced Nurse Practitioner.

During her Civic Year she will be supported by her husband John and by vice-chairman Cllr Matthew Cooper, one of the three Members for Waddington Rural.

Counand Mr Collard (also with a nursing background) have five children and six grandchildren and are, between them, involved in many local groups and organisations.