Former refugee elected as Reading's first black female mayor
Alice Mpofu-Coles, who arrived in Reading as a refugee from Zimbabwe, has been appointed as the town’s first Black female mayor during a ceremony at the Town Hall
Last updated 22nd May 2025
The town of Reading has appointed its first Black female mayor, councillor Alice Mpofu-Coles, at a ceremony held at the Town Hall on Wednesday, May 21.
Cllr Mpofu-Coles, who represents the Labour party in Whitley, arrived in Reading as a refugee from Zimbabwe in the 1990s. In her acceptance speech, she spoke about the challenges she faced and the support she received from the local Refugee Support Group.
She said: “I arrived here, to the UK broken, like every refugee here. I lost everything I believed in. I slept on sofas. I continued with dignity and went on.”
She also paid tribute to immigrant workers, particularly those in the NHS, saying: “Reading is enriched by the immigrants who are here. Let’s not forget the people who work in the NHS, they came to shine when I had aggressive breast cancer.”
Cllr Mpofu-Coles published her memoir Dear God from Your Poached Egg Breast in 2019, which reflects on her life in Zimbabwe, her battle with cancer, and her faith.
She was elected as a Labour councillor for Whitley in 2021, 2022, and 2023. She expressed her thanks to the people of Reading for their support, saying: “I thank Almighty God for the grace he has given me in my life. Thanks to the residents of Reading for voting for me in 2021, ’22 and ’23. I’m profoundly grateful to the wider residents of Reading for welcoming me.”
Before moving to Reading, she worked as a diplomat in the former Yugoslavia and recalled how unprepared she was for the harsh Balkan winter.
Cllr Mpofu-Coles concluded her speech with a promise: “I’ll dedicate my time to serving the people diligently at all times.”
She was nominated for mayor by fellow Labour councillors Micky Leng and Rachel Eden.
The ceremony also included a formal thanks to the outgoing mayor, councillor Glenn Dennis, whose year featured the naming of the ‘Windrush Roundabout’ and strengthened links with Reading’s twin town of Speightstown in Barbados.
Paul Gittings, a Labour councillor for more than twenty years, was elected deputy mayor.
The mayor-making event included a private handing over of the mayoral chain and robes, poetry performed by Serena Vanderpuye, and a song called ‘A Song of Hope’ sung by children from local primary schools.
Cllr Mpofu-Coles re-entered the auditorium following a traditional Zimbabwean dance performed by Musa Madonda.