Much-loved former Lord Mayor of Sheffield  immortalised as cute character

Coun Pat Midgely has been immortalised in a print as a Beatrix Potter inspired hedgehog, wearing Mayoral robes and chains, with her favourite phrase “Come on, coffee and a bun kid”

Pat, a well-respected and much loved Labour councillor, died in March 2020 as the pandemic struck the city. She had been due to retire that May after 33 years service.

The character was created by her friend Coun Jayne Dunn who is a watercolour artist in her spare time, in loving memory of Pat.

The design will be made into tea towels and coasters to raise money for the charities Pat supported.

Jayne studied art at the then Granville College and textile design at Psalter Lane Art school and now owns a beauty salon. When it closed during lockdown, she found she had time to start painting again.

“I started painting pictures of flowers for people to raise money for the S6 Foodbank in my ward.

“One of the first things I painted was a single red rose for Pat’s family because they didn’t know whether they could get flowers for her funeral and it started from there.

“We’re coming up to the anniversary of Pat’s death and I wanted to do something to honour her and to keep her spirit alive. It was a way of us remembering her in this 12 month long journey.”

After talking to Pat’s family, Jayne came up with the idea of a hedgehog, with graphics by Mash Productions, who knew Pat too.

“If ever you had a problem, Pat’s answer to everything was to go and have a cup of coffee and a bun. She’d always be saying, oh you look like you need something to eat and she’d give you a big piece of cake.

“We thought how can we remember Pat with a giggle and a smile so I decided to design a hedgehog in the Lord Mayor’s parlour serving tea and cake.

“I thought, every time we put our cup down on the coaster we’ll hear her voice. The pandemic has robbed us of grieving with friends and family so this was my way of sending them love.

“The family say it has the essence of Pat and she would be giggling and laughing when she looks down.”

Jayne is asking for donations for the tea towels and coasters which will be shared equally between Pat’s favourite charities – S2 Foodbank, Assist, which supports destitute asylum seekers, and St Wilfrid’s Centre for homeless people.

They are available via the Facebook page “Giving For Pat” and it’s hoped they will be used in the Town Hall and Lord Mayor’s parlour once it reopens.

Pat leaves a husband Don, brother Tony, children Joanna, Neil and Jamie and grandchildren Harriet, Lucy, Jude, Theo and Madeline.