Julie Callow is the Green Party candidate for Thorpe Ward.

Full statement

A mother and former civil servant, Julie has lived in the area all her life.

Julie is well known as a key campaigner in the petition to stop the resurfacing and extension of the car park on Southchurch Park East. She is also one of the locals behind the Southchurch Park Community group, which seeks to defend the park against destructive development. In 2019, Julie was heavily involved in the successful 'Once Upon A Tree' campaign to stop the council from unnecessarily felling thousands of healthy trees across the town.

With qualifications in psychology and counselling, she has done sterling work in the community as part of various Homelessness, Youth at Risk, and Mental Health projects. She was involved in the former local homeless night shelters, and the Lady Kemp-Welch Partnership supporting children in care. Following the austerity cuts to SEPT NHS mental health services, Julie also co-founded the Therapeutic Arts Group to support people with long-term mental health issues.

She is a member of the Essex Field and Essex Bat Groups, and is also a local beekeeper and a knowledgable animal lover, specialising in rehabilitating wildfowl.