Cllr Darren Aitchison BEM

01/11/2026

At the end of September, 18 volunteers and I jumped out of a plane at 13,000 ft over Beecles Airfield. We were raising money for my 3 incredible charities - Pitstop, Brave Futures, and Dora Brown Charity.

Today I can reveal that we raised a total of £10,010!!!

I am so proud of everyone involved in this challenge and can't thank you all enough - it takes a lot to voluntarily do a skydive.

The total we raised is by far the most raised for a single Mayor's event in Felixstowe. INCREDIBLE!!

A big thank you to our two sponsors - Astral Global Logistics Limited and Infinity Container Logistics Ltd

Thank you!!

30/10/2026

Last weekend, Cass and I, together with Sue from Felixstowe Town Hall, had the pleasure of representing Felixstowe during a civic visit to our twin town of Wesel, Germany.
We were honoured to attend the Hanseatic Festival, where we joined in the celebrations wearing traditional costumes and enjoyed experiencing the wonderful atmosphere and hospitality of our hosts.
During our visit, I had the privilege of presenting the new Mayor of Wesel, Rainer Benien, with a unique gift handcrafted by Felixstowe's own Mr Cobbler. We also brought two smaller seagull gifts, also created by Mr Cobbler, for Rainer's children. It was a lovely way to share a little piece of Felixstowe with them.
One of the highlights of the weekend was having our photograph taken in front of a striking mural celebrating the anniversary of the twinning between our towns, a reminder of the strong friendship that continues to grow between our communities.
We also had the pleasure of visiting a couple of local businesses, as well as the RhineBad, which is a fantastic swimming complex on the banks of the Rhine.
It was also wonderful to meet Olaf Meining, Mayor of our other twin town, Salzwedel, and to spend time strengthening the connections between all three towns.
Personally, I was particularly pleased to deliver two speeches entirely in German. While I was certainly a little nervous beforehand, everyone seemed to understand what I was saying, which was both encouraging and rewarding!
We had a fantastic weekend, made many happy memories, and were reminded once again of the value of international friendship and cultural exchange. We look forward to welcoming our friends from Wesel and Salzwedel to Felixstowe next year.
Mayor of Felixstowe

04/10/2026

Congratulations to the top 3 teams who raised the most money in the Mayors Charity Bargain Hunt Auction. Each winning a cash prize.
1st place - Pitstop - £300
2nd place - Fairfield and Colneis - £200
3rd place - Felixstowe Museum - £100
It was an excellent event which raised almost £2000 for the charities - Brave Futures Dora Brown Charity Pitstop

Thank you Breeze Events for your generous support and Christina Johnston for another incredible performance.

The event was made possible by our sponsors David Button Independent Funeral Directors, Greyfriars Carpets, James Kemball, MCP, Elite Universal, 3PL.

27/09/2026

I just wanted to make a special post to call out the two local companies that sponsored the Mayor of Felixstowe's Charity Skydive. Astral Global Logistics Limited and Infinity Container Logistics Ltd - without these we wouldn't have made so much for charity. It isn't just this event either, they have both supported multiple Mayors events and other things I have done in the past. Thank you for your amazing support!!

20/09/2026

It’s been another brilliant and busy week across Felixstowe, celebrating the people, organisations and volunteers who make our town such a special place.

The week began with a fantastic music night at La Vida, organised by Dirty Mangos and featuring two exciting up and coming bands. It was a brilliant atmosphere and the event raised almost £1,000.

Next was the Felixstowe RAF Air Cadets Awards Evening, where it was great to see so many achievements recognised. The cadets have been involved in an incredible range of activities and events over the past year, and their enthusiasm really shone through. A huge thank you to the uniformed staff and civilian volunteers whose hard work, guidance and commitment make all of this possible.

Then onto the quiz night at the Felsto Arms, which raised over £700. Thank you to the volunteers from Pitstop who helped run the raffle and kept the evening moving.

We were then guests at the opening of the new heritage beach huts near the Spa Pavilion. I had the honour of cutting the ribbon to officially open the huts. Each one has a plaque celebrating a famous person from Felixstowe, and they are among the very first beach huts in the country. A huge thank you to Ruth and Will for their dedication and hard work in saving and restoring them.

On Saturday, I unveiled a plaque celebrating 60 years of Felixstowe Library, a true community asset that continues to support thousands of residents every year.

From there it was over to the Grosvenor for the start of the Bargain Hunt event, with the auction taking place on 3 October at Harvest House. The Grosvenor then hosted an all day music event in support of the Mayor's Charities. Thank you to Dan and all the staff, as well as every performer who gave their time and talent.

Today I was at the finish line of the Richard Bennett 10 mile road race, handing out medals and presenting trophies to the winners. Always a highlight seeing so many runners taking part.

And finally, I rounded off the weekend by giving two tours of the Town Hall as part of Heritage Weekend. It’s always a pleasure to share the history of the building with residents and visitors.

Now it’s time for a quick rest before another full week of events ahead.

17/09/2026

Thank you so much Steve and the whole Dirty Mangos team. It was a fantastic evening, the groups were amazing, the La Vida staff were awesome and the whole atmosphere was incredible.
What an amazing total raised for our 3 charities!!!
I can't wait for the next one in April.
THANK YOU!!

A THANK YOU POST:

So, we’ve “done the maths” and for the last Dirty Mangos gig at La Vida Beach Street Felixstowe we raised a great total of £947.31!! Absolutely astounding amount!

So firstly thank you to the sponsors, I hope you and your staff who attended all had a great time. That’s Platinum Sports & Prestige, DS Customs Solutions, KDR European and Infinity Container Logistics.
Their generosity made the event happen, made a substantial contribution directly to the charities and enabled all ticket sales to also all go to charity.

Secondly, a massive thanks to the two bands and The Rackets who played their hearts out. Well worth catching them live where you can!

Then love and thanks to La Vida for being such fantastic hosts and for weaving his sound engineering magic!

And finally a huuuuuge thank you to all who came along and made the evening a special one. Seeing people enjoy the music and hearing such positive feedback makes it all so worthwhile.

And I wish the mayor’s three chosen charities .futures all the best and hope the money helps you continue your valuable work throughout the local community.

Two dates for your diary: Fri 9th April and Fri 10th Sept - already working on the next acts!

Peace out ✌️
DMs 🥭x

09/09/2026

What a brilliant evening out on the water with my Mayor’s Charities. We headed seven miles off the coast to SeaLand and the views back towards Felixstowe and the port were absolutely stunning.

A massive thank you to Nick and the Neverland team for giving us such a great trip. They couldn’t have been more welcoming, and everyone loved seeing our town from a completely different angle.

Always a pleasure spending time with the charities who work so hard for our community.

03/09/2026

Here is a quick review of the last week as Mayor of Felixstowe.

I was invited to speak at a Felixstowe Chamber of Commerce event and was asked to talk a bit more about myself than I’m normally used to. It made me reflect on just how much has happened in the last eight years: two torch lit remembrance parades, founding Felixstowe Remembers, founding and running Felixstowe Helping Hands, being awarded the BEM, attending the King’s Coronation, becoming the first elected Independent Town Councillor in over 50 years, and then the first Independent Mayor. Alongside that, chairing the governing board at Felixstowe School, chairing a local charity, and taking on various other community roles. When you look back, it is incredible what can be achieved when you care about your town and get involved. Oh, and having a full time job in Cyber Security.

Saturday was the Mayor’s Pool Competition at the 147 Club, with a brilliant turnout of 24 players, including four teenagers. One of them knocked me out in the first game, which they were very proud of. Thank you to all the staff and everyone who took part in the tournament.

The rest of the long weekend was packed with music. On Sunday, we joined Laura Locke in the Seafront Gardens for WAM Fest, with so many incredibly talented musicians and singers. Felixstowe Harmonies performed their Magic of Felixstowe song and my favourite, Run by Snow Patrol. Later that evening, we headed to the Con Club for their music night, showcasing more brilliant local singers and an excellent Oasis tribute band.

On Monday, we were back in the gardens for Music in Felixstowe’s Proms by the Prom. Again, there was so much talent on show, with the evening rounded off by the Felixstowe Festival Orchestra.

Earlier this week, we had the privilege of joining Peter Livey for a dock tour and a visit aboard HMM Southampton. It was amazing to see inside one of the largest container ships in the world and speak to the crew.

And today, I raised the Red Ensign in the Town Hall Gardens to mark Merchant Navy Day and recognise the vital contribution of the men and women who serve at sea.

A busy week, but a brilliant reminder of what makes Felixstowe special: community, creativity, and people who care.

23/08/2026

This weekend was a fantastic reminder of how much Felixstowe thrives because of the dedication of volunteers and the strength of our community spirit.

Saturday began at Hallowtree Camp for the Scout Suffolk Punch event. Around 600 Scouts and Explorers are camping for four days, joined each day by younger Cubs and Beavers. The volunteers who run this event put in an extraordinary amount of work to create a safe, exciting and unforgettable experience for the young people. Cass joined me, and it was brilliant to see just how much the Scouts were enjoying themselves. Many were trying activities they would never usually get the chance to do, including zip wire, air r***e, archery, axe throwing, canoeing, paddle boarding, crafts and so much more. The smiles, the confidence and the sense of adventure were clear everywhere you looked. There was so much happening that we couldn’t see it all in one visit, so we returned on Sunday to catch up with even more of the action.

Later on Saturday, we visited the Felixstowe Conservative Club to officially open the new Garden Bar, where I had the honour of pulling the very first pint. The volunteers on the Committee have worked tirelessly to re‑energise the Club, giving up countless evenings and weekends to create a welcoming space that will be perfect for outdoor events and functions. Their commitment has transformed the Club and strengthened its place in the community.

Saturday evening finished at Landguard Fort for the Sea Shanty fundraiser supporting the Felixstowe Independent Lifeboat. The volunteers from the Fort and the lifeboat team put huge effort into organising this event, and it was great to see over 200 people attending. Our community is incredibly lucky to have a volunteer lifeboat service that relies entirely on donations and fundraising to continue its vital work. Every person who came along helped support the volunteers who keep our coastline safe, often in challenging conditions.

Across Scouts, community venues and our lifeboat crew, one message stood out. Felixstowe is powered by volunteers who give their time, skills and enthusiasm to make our town a better place. It was a privilege to spend the weekend with so many of them.