Town Mayor – Wantage Town Council

Biography Jim Sibbald

I was raised in Glasgow, graduating from The University, Glasgow as Bachelor of Science in Natural Philosophy (now called Physics) before commissioning into the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

My military career ranged from Regimental Duties to Operational deployments, both warfighting and peacekeeping; as Captain of the Queen’s Guard at Windsor to commanding a battery in the Gulf War; from being a Senior Instructor at a Special to Arm School; to undertaking the United Nations Mission in Cyprus as the Civil Affairs Officer liaising with the Under-Secretary, Special Envoys and diplomats. While serving I obtained a Master of Science from the Royal Military College, Shrivenham.

Following seventeen years of service, in 2003, I left as a major, and “found” Wantage and immediately felt at home.

I have been a Town Councillor from 2007 to 2011 and then from 2014 until present and was Town Mayor in 2010/2011 when we granted the Freedom of the Town to the Scots Guards. I am honoured to be chosen as Town Mayor for the years 2019/2020 (When we granted the Freedom of the Town to HMS Queen Elizabeth), 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and again for a fourth year 2022/2023.

A Fellow of the Institute of Directors since 1995, I am an active participant and supporter of Service Charities, being a member of the Wantage Branch of the Royal British Legion and Chairman of the County Committee for the Royal British Legion in the Royal County of Berkshire & Vale of White Horse. Married to Christina, who is a Guide Dog Volunteer Brood Bitch Holder, we have grown-up children and the occasional litter of Guide Dog pups.

Mayor’s Charities

The Mayor’s chosen charities for 2022/2023 continue to be:

The October Club (Charity no. 900331) and
The Fitzwaryn School Parents and Friends Association (Charity no. 1041897).

Mayor’s Social Media Accounts

Mayor’s Communications