I moved to Winchester over 40 years ago and we brought up our family here. I am enthusiastic and hardworking. I enjoy growing things, bringing people together, art, boats and nature. For most of my working life I taught at Brookfield Community School in Sarisbury Green in the Hamble Valley. I went travelling by narrowboat and sailing boat for a couple of years. I then spent a few years caring for my elderly mum in Yorkshire and joined the local green party up there. I was a front line activist and campaigner in the anti fracking movement. I stood in the 2019 GE for the green Party. I came home to Winchester 3 years ago and became active in the local Green Party as Cocoordinator, membership secretary and campaign organiser. I am married with 2 children and 3 wonderful grandchildren. I care passionately about their future and the future of all people and our beautiful planet. I'd like to help achieve a fairer, greener society where everyone is able to live their best life.
Over the last couple of years I have worked hard organising doorknocking/campaining to help to get 2 green councillors elected in Winchester District.
Currently we are actively campaigning to get a 3rd councillor elected in our target ward and in 3 development wards. I have taken action to increase our funding by appealling directly to members by phone, holding coffee mornings and organising a crowd funder. I have motivated members to become non target candidates for a full slate. I recently set up an allotment group. I have organised several street stalls and petitions to campaign on a variety of issues including remaining in the EU, getting the council to declare a climate and ecological emergency, campaigned for an electric town centre minibus, for ticket offices to stay open, raise awareness about the M3 junction etc.... Organised a table at a Winchester College eco event for students.
I set up Frack Free Doncaster to raise awareness and campaign against fracking through regular street stalls and a presence at local fetes. a pop up at a festival and a leafleting campaigns. I arranged and presented public presentations to local parish councils, the People's Assembly, and in village halls. I used craftivism to create giant puppets and huge banners to raise public awarness at events across the country. I helped man the gates of the local potential fracking site week after week over 5 years. I helped set up an anti fracking samba band, helped organise fundraising events. Attended many protests including Walk for Wildlife and XR in London. Stood under street trees for 5 weeks to try and prevent them being felled and gained national press interest and regional radio and press interest. Was consequently invited to be part of the council's review and rewriting of their tree policy. Was a member of Winchester Housing Action Group back in the 1980s. Mounted a campaign to save an historic building from demolition. Stood as a candidate in the 2019 General Election and attended 2 hustings campaigned door to door and we managed to increase the green vote share. Recently, I joined the SE greens committee as an elections offer and I am supporting our field officer in getting a full slate of candidates in the local and General elections.
I wish to stand in Hamble Valley because I feel it is very important that everone that wants to has the opportunity to vote Green. Its is also vital to enable the Green Party to be taken seriously as a political force and to build up the green vote here especially as it is a new constituency. So it would be great for the Greens to get off to a good start with a high share of the votes. I have an affinity with the area as part of the constituency is a ward we have been actively campaigning in doing surveys and delivering newsletters and a New Year card. It's one of our development wards and will be our target ward for HCC elections next year. I do not live in the constituency but I worked as a teacher in Hamble Valley for 15 years. So, I have a level of understanding and connection to the area.
It all depends when the GE is called but I'd prefer to be low key focussing mainly online at this time.
I have previous experience of standing as a GE candidate. I have had media training and am used to speaking to the press.