I had never been in the slightest politically minded until about six years ago, when I joined the Green Party – more to support them than to become actively involved.

Brexit, the climate crisis, the NHS, planning, transport, poverty, benefits, taxation – none of these things were being addressed in a fair, logical or long term manner, and that concerned me. I also was saddened and alarmed by increasing divisions world-wide. The only party that seems truly committed to overcome these issues is the Green Party.

For me, politics should be about what kind of world we want to live in, not just how to look after our own interests.

I understand the annoyance of those who have huge tax bills each year. I really do. It hurts! But I can’t help thinking that it would hurt a lot less if the government used taxes to fund a joined-up strategy leading to a better balanced society.

Currently this is not the case. Far too many people live in poverty, are in low wage/zero hours contract jobs, pay inflated rents and are unable to afford to buy their own home. The money we pay in taxes is not being used wisely or efficiently. The pandemic has only worsened this situation; the way it has been handled in the UK seems to me to have been largely divorced from science, and entirely divorced from any sense of compassion or humanity. We have one of the best healthcare services in the world, yet we are not investing in it.

I originally trained as a veterinary surgeon, but have worked as a freelance medical illustrator/designer, as a research assistant at both Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals, and as a private gardener.

I also have a strong therapeutic interest, notably in bodywork and especially post-traumatic stress (PTSD). The more people are stressed out by financial difficulties and ‘isms’ (racism, sexism etc) the more we likely we are to see others as enemies and to react strongly and impulsively. This does not lead to a well-functioning society.

My move to Whepstead in 2017 was forced as a result of development next door to my previous house, on what was out of development envelope land – but which became vulnerable to planning permission following the successful challenge on East Cambridgeshire District Council’s five year housing plan. I remain appalled by the sequence that unfolded, ultimately resulting in my move.
The haphazard development of greenfield sites in rural locations is painful to watch. The quality of housing is often poor, the location forces residents to use cars rather than public transport – even just to get a paper or bottle of milk! – and the estates being thrown up are not being accompanied by adequate improvements to infrastructure (drainage, schools, doctors’ surgeries, roads etc).
Local areas should be able to decide what kind of development they want, and where. At the moment It’s just a free-for-all.

There is also little incentive from government for updating older properties to make them inefficient. New builds carry zero VAT – retrofitting attracts full VAT – and the government has also put VAT back on renewable energy (solar panels, battery storage) while maintaining a low rate on climate-damaging coal.

At home I live with three dogs and a horse, have built a Japanese-inspired garden (approved for opening under the National Gardens Scheme) and enjoy photography and Chinese brush painting. I was once a keen cyclist: in recent years my life has been dominated by the need to ensure care for my mother, who died in 2020.

My Green credentials include 10KWp of solar panels with Powerwall batteries for storage, and a high temperature air source heat pump installed through the renewable heat incentive (RHI). I drive an electric car which is usually powered by the sun, even in winter.