Hello, my name’s Emma and I’m excited to be joining the Tewkesbury Town Council! I grew up in Tewkesbury, trained as a youth worker, and recently completed a Master’s degree at King’s College London. I love history (Wars of the Three Kingdoms) and I am a member of both the Tewkesbury History Society and the Royal Society of History.
I currently sit on the Severn Ham Committee and act as a Trustee for the Tewkesbury Commons. Part of this role has included a site visit to Coombe Hill, discussing nitrogen deposition, river-wetland corridors, and preservation for the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). My first few months on council have involved attending a variety of committees including: finance and planning; along with a host of events including but not limited to: Tewkesbury’s Big Weekend, Tewkesbury Goes Wild, and Tewkesbury Live.
I’ve enjoyed being surrounded by passionate leaders, who are keen to serve the town. We’ve all collaborated to help start to clear the Town Hall basement and are meeting to think through the strategy for this electoral term, aware that many political agendas are high priority and how we can best serve Tewkesbury in this. Part of my role in serving Tewkesbury has been to meet local residents to hear their thoughts as well as connecting with the Tewkesbury Borough Council, having recently visited their meeting to understand more about the development of the Garden Town near the A46/J9.
In my spare time, I’m either at Tewkesbury Abbey, running with the Tewkesbury Running Club, having just completed the London Marathon, or studying philosophy with an aim to complete a PhD, researching the concept of happiness in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, as seen within the works of Augustine and Aquinas.
Some areas that I am politically interested in, having completed a training course with The Labour Women’s Network, are: climate change, education, homelessness, housing, mental health, refugees, women’s rights, and young people.
I’m looking forward to serving Tewkesbury and advocating for those whose ideas need championing for the success of the town.