Hello, my name is John Payne, Green Party candidate for Rossendale and Darwen.

Full statement

I’m married with two grown-up children. Originating from Essex, I have lived in Rossendale for twenty-seven years. I like football, and have held a season ticket at Turf Moor for the last sixteen years. I also enjoy gardening, but coaxing fruit, vegetables and flowers from the cold, wet Rossendale clay is still a work in progress.
I studied chemistry, but without a job in UK, went to work in France. I suppose that made me an economic migrant, but like most migrants I went there to work and contribute to the local economy. I learned a new language and culture, and brought them English food and beer.
I work in manufacturing industry, trying to develop products which bring social and environmental benefits. I currently develop fire-fighting foams which don’t contain highly polluting fluorocarbons, our latest world-leading product recently won a major environmental award.
Previously I worked on insulation to improve the thermal efficiency of existing buildings, participating on a European standards committee. It has been used both on grade 1 listed buildings, and terraced social housing where residents were living in fuel poverty.
I served as a primary school governor and each year give simulated Oxbridge style academic interviews to local students applying for science subjects.
I care deeply about protecting the environment, tackling inequality, am very pro-European and try to make a difference both in my personal and professional capacities.
Call John: 07484 129082