I was born at Derwent and have lived in the area of Bamford more than 2/3rds of my life, residing at Lydgate Bungalow since 1991. I come from local families – the Merryman’s and the Thorpe’s who have farmed in this area for several generations.

I work as a Commercial Sales Manager for a food company based in South Wales. I’m lucky enough to be able to work from home and have recently reduced my days from 5 to 4, so decided this was a good time to offer up my support as a local councillor.  Married with 2 step-children and a granddaughter, my hobbies are walking, bell ringing, amateur dramatics and playing an active role in the running of Hope Show. 

We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful area. I want to work at welcoming visitors but without disrupting the lives of the local population; I see parking as one of our biggest challenges.