Wiltshire Councillor Suzanne Wickham has thanked the community for its support during her nearly six years in the role as she prepares to stand down in May, reflecting on her time in office which began in the wake of her husband’s death.
She has represented the Ethandune division—which covers the parishes of Edington, Bratton, Heywood and Dilton Marsh—since September 2019, stepping into politics following the loss of her husband, Jerry Wickham.
Jerry, a former Chief Superintendent in Wiltshire Police and a well-respected councillor, was once tipped to become Wiltshire Council’s leader. He died aged 58 in 2019 after living with prostate cancer for three years.
During his time in office, Jerry was praised for his tireless dedication to the communities he served. Initially, Suzanne had not considered following in his footsteps, but she was encouraged to stand in the by-election for Ethandune after being approached by several serving Wiltshire councillors.
Speaking from her home in Edington, she said, “To begin with, I had no thought about becoming a councillor. Only once did Jerry mention that I should think about Ethandune, but I dismissed this straight away.
“Jerry’s job had been so demanding, it was very full on, and I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. However, after several councillors visited me at home, I was persuaded and decided to stand for election.”
Suzanne was elected in September 2019, two months after Jerry died. While she initially planned to serve just one term, she soon found herself deeply invested in the role.
“Campaigning helped me—it gave me a complete focus after Jerry had died,” she said. “I became so involved in the communities and met so many fantastic people who were working to make a real difference in their villages. I couldn’t walk away from that and realised I had to stand for election again in 2021.”
Throughout her time as a councillor, Suzanne has been particularly passionate about supporting children and young people. As Wiltshire Council’s portfolio holder for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), she has met many young people and carers, working alongside organisations such as the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council and the Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living.
“I’m really passionate that children and young people should be able to have the life they want, not the one that other people think is best for them,” she said.
Other key moments in her time as councillor include promoting the Dyslexia Friendly Schools programme, campaigning for road safety improvements and working with parish councils and community groups.
There will also be a physical reminder of her time as councillor; the wildlife corridors across the Ethandune villages and in Westbury, featuring pollinator-friendly plants and wildflowers.
“I had read an article about pollinator corridors and knew bees travel up to three miles to collect nectar and pollen,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘We need a pollinator corridor here.’ I approached the Westbury Area Board for funding for seeds, and all the villages and Westbury Town Council got involved.
“Now we have little patches of wildflowers across the area, which I like to think have brought joy to people. It’s so important to protect our local wildlife and countryside. As Einstein said, ‘Once the bees have gone, the human race would only have four years left on Earth,’ as there would be nothing left to pollinate our food.”
Reflecting on her time in office, Suzanne hopes she has continued Jerry’s legacy while also making her own mark on the division.
“It has been six years since I lost Jerry, but that grief never goes away,” she said. “I think if Jerry could see what I’ve achieved, he would say, ‘Well done… but what about…?’ He’d be enormously proud but full of ideas on what else I could have done. He was a perfectionist!
“Jerry was absolutely one of a kind. He knew his own mind and what he wanted, both personally and professionally.”
Suzanne, who also worked for the police, met Jerry on a ski trip in Italy in 1984. The couple married in Devizes six months after their first date, spending 35 years together and raising two sons.
After stepping down in May, Suzanne plans to spend more time with her family, particularly her grandchildren, and is considering voluntary work.
“We are only here once,” she said. “My initial thought with becoming a councillor was, ‘I’ll give it a go.’ I’m so glad I did. I can wholeheartedly say I’ve really enjoyed this role, and it has enriched my life enormously. I’m so lucky to have made so many friends in the villages, and I will continue to attend lots of the events that take place.
“I think the key to being a good councillor is the ability to connect with people, and you can’t force that—it’s just how you are. I would like to thank everyone for their support over the last few years. In turn, I hope I have supported you all in the right ways.”
