I've lived in the heart of Bengeo (a stone's throw from the Co-op) for 20 years and have represented residents on East Herts District Council since 2019 and on Hertfordshire County Council since 2021.

Full statement

Prior to that I was a scientist and science journalist for about 30 years. Locally I was one of a team of residents who set up and ran Transition Hertford, helping to community organise events like stalls, litter picks, talks, Apple Days and 2 eco-film festivals at Hertford Theatre. I have been a local school governor and am also one of the founders of Hertford Energy Now, the only community-owned renewable energy co-op in this part of the County. We put solar panels on 3 primary schools - at Mill Mead, Morgans and Hunsdon JMI - and I remain one of the directors, ensuring the panels are maintained and that they continue to supply green electricity to the schools and help save them money on their energy bills. I'm keen to continue serving the community in Bengeo and am standing for District and Town councils on 4th May.

I campaigned with the following manifesto in the County Elections in May 2021: Your voices: Communities are often side-lined in decisions made by councils. This must stop. I will listen to residents’ views and act on them. Happier communities: We design our streets for traffic when they should be designed for people. We all want cleaner air, and quieter, safer streets to live in, so let’s reassess neighbourhoods. Healthy towns: Safe, clean and attractive high streets help local businesses thrive. Let’s bring people back to our town centres and rebuild civic pride. Protect and thrive: Our wild and open spaces are increasingly under threat. Let’s protect them, and encourage all to enjoy them.