Mary has lived in Hitchin for 25 years and works from home for an Employee Owed Company as an IT applications tester and Health and Safety Officer.

Full statement

During her career in IT she has commuted to a variety of places on foot, by bicycle, motorcycle, car, bus and train, giving her a wide experience of local, regional and national transport issues.

A keen community gardener, Mary likes helping to keep Hitchin's Quaker (Friends) Meeting House grounds in central Hitchin tidily wild. Caring for a public open space involves tackling persistent litterers, drug use, vandalism, anti social behaviour and homelessness. Working with neighbouring Churches, local police, charities and councils she helps our community to keep these places safe for everyone to use. Mary also helps at the Triangle Community Garden in Hitchin Bearton ward.

Working from home has allowed her to join in weekly health walks, residents’ meetings, and ringing St Mary's church bells for traditional local event and services.

Worries about safety after watching the first charity Christmas Tractor run promoted her to volunteer for the Marshals team for this fun, noisy, lively event bringing town and country together.

In her words: “If we are to make progress towards a greener, less polluted future we need to do so together. This means listening to each other and acting on these and their concerns”.