Councillor Neil Knowles, Mayor 2023-2024
Mrs Teresa Knowles, Mayoress
Cllr Neil Knowles was born in Newcastle Under Lyme but moved to Windsor at an early age with his military family. They then moved all over the world living most notably in Germany, Malaya and Singapore before returning to the UK and Windsor, where he attended Dedworth Green Secondary School as it then was. He joined the Army and The Life Guards straight from school and served in Windsor, Cyprus, Germany, Canada and Windsor again, where he met Teresa.
After a tour at Mounted duty Neil applied for and passed the Army Pilots course becoming an Army Helicopter Pilot in the Army Air Corps serving pretty much everywhere there was strife until he completed his Regular service moving onto the reserve, in which he served with the Royal Air Force up to the age of 55 retiring as a Squadron Leader.
On leaving the Army Neil became a Radio and TV presenter and producer working with the BBC then local commercial Radio before working for The British Forces Broadcasting Service, working pretty much everywhere where there was strife until he got a proper job moving into project management, administration and financial management in the education sector.
Neil has been a ward councillor for Old Windsor since May 2019 working hard to make a difference to our residents and to the wider Borough residents and is particularly keen on preserving the green belt. He is very active in the community having run Windsor Air Cadets for some years, is a school governor at St Peters Middle School, a trustee of Old Windsor alms houses and keeps his military links as a member of Flemish Farm based Light Cavalry, the Honorable Artillery Company, and is a member of the Historic Army Aircraft flight.
Teresa and Neil have a son, Sam, who runs a successful events business in the Netherlands and they have a fabulous grandson, Max.
As a councillor brought up in Windsor, Neil is very proud to become the Mayor of the Royal Borough and looks forward to meeting many organisations and community groups during his term of office.
Teresa Knowles was born and bred in Old Windsor, she attended Kings Court School and St Peters School, Old Windsor and Windsor Girls School before starting work in the early years education sector. Teresa has enjoyed the same wanderlust as Neil and has managed to continue working in Early Years becoming a specialist OFSTED inspector. She now works mentoring and training Early Year practitioners and takes Neil to Hospital when he has fallen off something again! Teresa is craft crazy and is always making something.
Armed Forces Covenant
RBWM signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC), which shows an organisation demonstrates its intention to support the Armed Forces community, several years ago and has been committed to providing support and guidance in a number of areas such as housing, benefits provision and employment.
The council achieved Gold status from the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) in 2020 in recognition of the employment related support it gives to existing employees who are Reservists or who provide part time military training services, as well as supporting individuals who are leaving the Forces and need help with securing job roles or training within the council and their families.
Cllr Knowles is the Council’s Armed Forces Champion and will be working with Vanessa Faulkner, who is the Service Lead – HR, Operations and Corporate Projects, to secure Gold status again when it is due for renewal in 2025.
If you would like any further information on the Armed Forces Covenant or if you know of any organisations who may want to participate, please do not hesitate to contact us.