His father, Michael, originated from Camarcazan, Mapuca and his mother, Rexy, from Bastora. Morel and his family attend most functions organised by these two UK village associations.

Before coming to the UK he worked for a few years in a stockbroker's office in Nairobi. He is married to Karin, from Finland, and they have two grown up children, Jessica and Carl. Morel and Karin have lived in the Maidstone area from the early seventies.

Morel and his siblings left Nairobi during the "Exodus" in 1968. They arrived in the UK with only their hand luggage. They all went to Kent where their eldest sister, Margaret lived with her husband, Henry Pinto. Within a week of arrival Morel was working as a credit control clerk and later at an engineering company manufacturing vans.

He quickly became interested in trade union activities and rose to the rank of Convenor and took interest in local politics. Morel was elected local councillor in Maidstone in 1996 and has twice defended his seat.

Morel attended evening classes that led to work as an accountant. However, a keen interest in the lesser cared for in society and a strong advocate for social justice led to a degree in Social Sciences from the University of Kent, Canterbury.

As the Mayor Elect of Maidstone, he has chosen three charities that he will support in his term of office that commences from May 14th. One is a hospice, the others being a special needs school and the Aylesford Priory, run by Carmelite priests. Many hundreds of Goans have paid pilgrimages to Aylesford Priory and Morel hopes that they will support an event he is planning to host there on Sunday June 15th 2003.

Morel is also planning to hold an event called the MAIDSTONE MELA on Sunday 14th September 2003 which will be a celebration of diverse cultures. Morel is hoping the Goan community at large will be able to participate in this event by taking up food stalls that can be supported by other cultural activities. Being a Goan, he would like to have his Community represented on the day. The event will take place in Maidstone's largest park, Mote Park and will have various stalls including food. There will be an arena in the centre where cultural and other activities will take place. Hopefully it will be a fun day and as an international event should be an enjoyable one too!

Morel believes that anyone who has the will and dogged determination to stay the course will succeed in any field. You can write to Morel at moreldsouza@maidstone.gov.uk

AN INCLUSIVE society where all the people of Maidstone work together is the dream of new Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Morel D'Souza.

The Kenyan-born Labour councillor became the first Maidstone mayor from an ethnic minority when he was sworn in on Wednesday.

He said he was "excited" to take on the role and told other members of Maidstone Borough Council that he would celebrate the borough's diversity during his year in office.

He said: "Maidstone has a diversity I would like us all to celebrate. All of us in the borough make a positive contribution to our society.

"Together we must continue to demonstrate how we can co-exist in harmony and benefit from multicultural diversity."

He added that he was looking forward to the borough's first multicultural festival the Maidstone Mela, being held in Mote Park on Sunday, September 14.

Cllr D'Souza was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and educated in Goa. He came to Britain in 1968 and settled in the Fant Ward of Maidstone in the early 1970s. He worked at the Tilling Stevens factory in Maidstone until it closed in 1976, where he was an active trade union member, and first stood for election in 1979. After three attempts, he finally became a councillor in 1996.

The Mayoress, Cllr D'Souza's wife, is Karin and they have a son, Carl, and a daughter, Jessica.

He will support three charities in his Mayoral year The Heart of Kent Hospice, at Preston Hall, in Aylesford; Bower Grove School, Maidstone; and the Aylesford Priory Restoration Fund.

Deputy Mayor for the year will be Cllr Peter Hooper (Lib Dem), who represents Heath Ward on the council.