A young pilot says helping families will be a number one priority after he took the mayoral chains.

Ben Lewis, who balances his roles as long haul pilot for Virgin, young family man and town and district councillor, can now add mayor to his long list of duties.

He said: “Despite being a pilot, politics is something that has always interested me, so that’s why I love being a councillor.

“In my new role as mayor, I want to continue the great success and hard work of the town council.”

Ben has chosen Home-Start UK as his mayoral charity, which helps parents with young children for the first five years of their lives.

He said: “It’s a great charity that gives help to families who need that little bit of extra support, such as single parents and working families.”

The charity is particularly close to Ben’s heart.

He is a devoted family man with wife Lauren and two young children, Isabella aged three and baby Max who is just eight-weeks-old.

He credits his ‘very understanding family’ for the reason he manages to squeeze so much into his working life.

The modest 35-year-old said: “I’m always trying to convince Lauren to become a councillor.

“She’s a lot more charming and intelligent than me. I’m serious! But sadly she’s not interested.”

Ben said the fundamentals of working together in the council requires the same skills as working together as a family.

He said: “It’s so important to work together, which will be something I will work hard to promote.

“If you stick together then you can achieve great things.”

Despite flying all over the world, Ben said he will always live in Royston.

He said: “It’s a great town. It’s set in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside.

“It’s a great place, it’s got great people and the crime is so low.”

Ben, who councillors voted unanimously for, replaced Victoria Hulstrom-Allen in the role at a ceremony last Monday.

To find out more about Ben’s chosen charity Home–Start, visit the website at www.home-start.org.uk.