30 May 2025
The SDLP will nominate Moyola councillor Denise Johnston to serve as the next Deputy Chair of Mid Ulster District Council.
A politics teacher and long-standing victims campaigner, Councillor Johnston is well known across Mid Ulster and beyond. She has championed causes including the protection of Lough Neagh and the need for urgent action on road safety.
She will officially take up her new role on 2 June.
Councillor Denise Johnston said:
“I’m absolutely delighted to have been nominated by my party colleagues to serve as Deputy Chair of Mid Ulster for the year ahead. It’s a real privilege to take on this role in a district I care so deeply about and proudly call home. I look forward to using this opportunity to shine a light on the incredible work taking place across our communities and to speak up on the shared challenges we face.
“Mid Ulster has an exceptional sense of community. When tragedy strikes, people come together, whether that’s in response to the ongoing pollution of Lough Neagh or the grassroots campaigns calling for stronger road safety laws after devastating losses. Our communities are determined that road safety measures, especially around school buses, are implemented in order to save lives.
“As a longstanding victims campaigner, I have seen too often the trauma experienced by families who have to confront obstacle after obstacle in their search for justice as a result of our violent past. I’ve been moved by the support shown to the family of Sean Brown in their continuing pursuit of justice, an example of the compassion and resilience that defines this area. Those who paid the ultimate price for our peace have been so badly let down and I will always stand alongside them.
“At the same time, we are still being failed by those in the Executive who have the power to act but too often choose not to. As Deputy Chair, I will do everything in my power to advocate for the causes that matter to people here.
"I’m looking forward to visiting community groups, sports clubs and local organisations across the district and using this year to be a force for good for everyone in Mid Ulster.”