Junior Mayor for the Day 2026 – Kingsham Primary Pupils Step Into Civic Life

On Wednesday 15 April, the Mayor of Chichester, Councillor Sean McHale, welcomed three pupils from Kingsham Primary School to take part in Junior Mayor for the Day, an annual City Council tradition that offers local children a unique insight into the role and responsibilities of the Mayor.

Each year, the Mayor of Chichester is invited to around 200 engagements, ranging from visits to our twinned cities of Chartres, Ravenna, Speyer and Valletta, to presenting awards to community groups and opening new businesses in the city centre. Junior Mayor for the Day gives young residents the chance to experience this civic role first‑hand.

This year’s Junior Mayor, Phoebe, was joined by fellow pupils Kianoosh and Jessica for a full day of activities. The Mayor began the morning by collecting the group from Kingsham Primary School before heading to the Council House, where the children were robed and Phoebe was presented with the Junior Mayor’s chain of office.

The first official engagement of the day was a visit to Chichester Fire Station, where the group toured the facilities, explored the fire engines and learned about the vital work of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. From there, they travelled to Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, enjoying a guided tour, time in the flight simulators and the rare opportunity to sit inside a real aircraft cockpit.

The group returned to the Council House for lunch in the Council Chamber, followed by a Junior Council Meeting. The children discussed topics such as activities the City Council could support within the parish and ideas for improving safety for young people in the community.

In the afternoon, the pupils visited The Novium Museum for an interactive session exploring the history of the site, how Chichester has changed over the past 2,000 years, and the city’s Roman heritage. Through maps, objects and photographs, they compared the ancient Roman baths with the modern city they know today.

The final stop of the day was the South Downs Planetarium, where the group learned about the upcoming Artemis II mission and explored the wonders of the night sky, including the features that are often easily overlooked after dark.

To conclude the day, the Mayor accompanied the children back to Kingsham Primary School for the long‑standing tradition of planting a commemorative tree. This symbolic act reflects the hope that young people will continue to grow, contribute and help shape the Chichester of tomorrow.