Well-known face of Exeter made Honorary Alderman

Published: 3 December 2021

A former Lord Mayor and generally well-known figure around Exeter has been made an Honorary Alderman of the City.

Olwen Foggin had the honour bestowed upon her at a ceremony at Exeter’s historic Guildhall.

Olwen has served as a councillor for both Exeter City Council and Devon County Council and was Exeter’s Lord Mayor in 2015, the year the Rugby World Cup came to the city.

During her year as Lord Mayor, she hosted a reception in honour of the Rugby World Cup, officiated over Tony Rowe and Michael Caines’ Freemanship and helped raise £40,000 for her chosen charity, the Exeter Chiefs’ Foundation.

Bestowing the honour on her, current Lord Mayor, Cllr Trish Oliver, said: “Olwen was born and raised in Exeter and is very proud to have lived in Exeter all her life and tickled to be told by the Head of Exeter Magistrate Court, “do you know you have an Exeter accent, a true Exeter Maid indeed!”

Olwen married her husband, Gerald, in 1962. They have three children, eight grandchildren and nine great grand-children.

Olwen worked in mental health in Exeter for 40 years’ before retiring in 2013, where she covered all aspects of mental health.

Olwen worked closely with Post Watch UK to successfully save the Post Office in Heavitree, as well as the relocating of the Wonford Post Office from Wonford Village to the Burnthouse Lane Estate. She also campaigned for the reopening of the well-used post-box in Magdalen Road for the residents.

Olwen has worked on a number of community events involving the history of Wonford and Heavitree and in 2012 was proud to have been awarded the Age UK Pride of Place Award for her work with older people.

She was elected as a City Councillor in 2014 representing the Heavitree ward until May 2021 when she stepped down.