Funeral date announced for Ollerton and Boughton county councillor Stella Smedley

A funeral service for Nottinghamshire's longest serving county councillor, Mrs Stella Smedley will take place on Tuesday November 11.

It will be held at St Paulinus Church in Ollerton at 2pm and be followed by a private burial.

Floral tributes are welcomed but for anyone wishing to make a donation in lieu, a collection will be made for the Dukeries Band who will be playing at the service.

Mourners are welcome to wear any colour and those who knew Labour stalwart Mrs Smedley well will know her favourite colour was red.

A reception to celebrate Mrs Smedley's life will follow in the Dukeries Academy main hall.

Ollerton and Boughton Town Hall will be closed to the public on the day of the funeral as a mark of respect.

Mrs Smedley was first elected to the county council in 1977. She died following a long-illness at the age of 71.

Mrs Smedley first got into politics at the age of 21 as a parish councillor in Ollerton. She was also a member of the old Sherwood Rural District Council.

She went on to represent Ollerton and Boughton on the county council for more than 37 years, holding a number of high-profile positions for the authority including deputy leader and chairman.

She was the driving force behind the creation of the Dukeries College and Complex in Ollerton, now the Dukeries Academy,

It was one of the first community schools in the country and a major hub of facilities for young people, older people, people with disabilities and the unemployed.

She was awarded an MBE in 2010 for services to the community.