Mayor's office

Mayor's biography

Sharon was born at Hammersmith Hospital, formerly known as Du Cane Road Hospital, and grew up off Askew Road in Shepherds Bush after her parents had come to England from the Caribbean Island of Granada in 1960, as part of the Windrush generation.

At age 14, she moved to Fulham, where she later started a family with her husband and has two daughters.

After working in retail jobs in Fulham, including at Scottie's in North End Road, she became a home help providing adult social care for the council at age 19. She also joined the GMB trade union and quickly became a shop steward, advocating for her colleagues in social care.

Sharon's career in the trade union movement flourished when she became the youngest ever trade union official at 25, and later travelled the whole of the UK in her role as national officer while maintaining her home base in Fulham.

Sharon pursued higher education later in life, earning a degree in local politics at age 50 from Birkbeck University. She was first elected as a councillor in 2014, representing Fulham Broadway ward at the time. She was the Cabinet Member for Public Realm until her appointment as Mayor.

In 2017, Sharon was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. While this led to her leaving her trade union role, she continued her public service as a councillor, using her lived experience to champion Disabled People and their work with the council.

Sharon's Catholic faith and commitment to community care drive her work and Mayoral year ahead.

Councillor Sharon Holder's ward and surgery details.