My Profile

This is a draft update on my profile:

I moved to the area in 1993 brought by the countryside, the creative energy and work. Then, I was managing services for people with learning disabilities, but a chronic illness meant I was myself disabled for a number of very difficult years. I am now well again and work part-time for a charity that provides support across the county for people with mental health problems.

I live in Bread Street, Ruscombe and my partner's granddaughter is at Randwick School. I am a leader of a local youth group and take a leading role in many local projects helping to build our community. These include plans for new allotments, a wood fuel project in local woods, a bus shelter in Stratford Road, improvements to road gulleys and grit bins, helping set up the Ruscombe Brook Action Group, protecting key local sites from development, initiating and establishing the Stroud Valleys Water Forum that is seeking an effective flood policy, pushing for local traffic calming and 20 mph in residential zones, helping organise campaigns to save local Post Offices and support for the Village Shop to encourage more custom.

I am passionate about tackling rising fuel poverty, growing energy security problems and climate change. I have chaired a District Council scrutiny inquiry which has made successful recommendations to tackle these issues. I initiated and coordinated the hugely successful Eco Renovation Open Homes weekends to encourage people to take more energy efficiency and renewable measures. I also initiated the project to make Energy Monitors available in libraries to help people cut their energy use.

Other interests include our beautiful countryside, a good film and local cafes.