Councillor Eddie Hanson
Eddie Hanson is the Councillor for Kilburn. He holds a degree in Computing and an MBA. Before being elected as the Mayor of Camden, Eddie held several roles within the council, including Deputy Mayor, Cabinet Advisor, and Chair of Licensing Panel D. He also sat on both the Housing and Planning Committees.
Eddie has a thorough knowledge of the borough and has worked with a wide range of Camden residents, faith groups, neighbourhood forums, local businesses, schools and charitable organisations for many years. He was a former Chair of the Hampstead District Management Committee (DMC), Chair of the Board of Trustees of Sidings Community Centre, and currently a governor at St Eugene de Mazenod Primary School in Kilburn. Eddie has also helped form many Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs) across Camden.
Eddie’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience, courage, and service. He arrived in Camden as a teenager following the civil war in Sierra Leone, having survived multiple life-threatening experiences, including abduction by an armed group. These traumatic events, rather than breaking him, instilled in Eddie a deep sense of purpose, unwavering strength, and enduring hope.
His incredible life story has inspired many young people and helped people from underrepresented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds reach their full potential and become leaders.
He is delighted and feels honoured to be appointed as Mayor of Camden and says:
“Camden is known for many firsts, so I am grateful to be the first Mayor of black African descent. In this role, I would like to inspire others and give hope, that regardless of your background, success is something that can be achieved. I want to inspire those who feel they have been left behind and bring what has never been represented before.”
Eddie’s chosen charity of the year 2025 to 2026
Eddie has chosen “icandance” as his mayoral charity of the year. ‘icandance’ champions and supports children and young people with disabilities that are both visible and hidden through dance.
Eddie also has close family, friends and colleagues who are carers themselves of children who have special needs or some form of disability. This reinforced his vision to choose a charity that will directly support children with disabilities and their families in Camden. Eddie understands, first hand, the challenges they face and the resilience it takes to overcome them and feels that as a borough, more awareness is needed in this area. He aims to champion their inclusion and success, offering hope and ensuring that no one in Camden is left behind.
Eddie is also particularly passionate about addressing employment inequality by promoting equal access to jobs and opportunities. Throughout his tenure, he will work closely with the council and key stakeholders to create more opportunities and raise awareness in this vital area.