Bryan Atkinson

Bryan Atkinson is an environmental activist and registered nurse. Bryan's children are educated in local schools and he is a strong supporter of first class, publicly funded services.

Bryan has an impressive track record as an anti-roads campaigner and only recently gave evidence to a local public enquiry on behalf of Friends of the Earth opposing the destruction of Green Belt land at Fellgate, whilst sitting councillors have failed to take part in the process. Bryan is respected by local residents for his principled opposition to the Second Tyne Crossing and for encouraging the Council to consider alternative strategies for relieving local traffic congestion.

"People must understand that the threat to our green belt and the environment hasn't gone away - and it won't until we get greens elected to local government."

Bryan has been selected by the Green Party to stand as council candidate for the West Park ward.

email: bryan.atkinson@stgreens.org.uk

blog: Tyne Dock Green

Lynne Barber

Lynne was born in South Shields in 1968. At a young age she moved with her parents to Stockton. She has always had roots in South Shields and finally reurned ‘home’ about five years ago.

Lynne spent lot of her childhood following outdoor pursuits; camping, developing a deep seated love and respect for nature and 'a passion for walking in the heavy rain’. This time spent with nature cultivated a fascination for plants and trees and over the years she has taught herself a lot about the medicinal, nutritional, growth habits and other various uses of plants. Lynne is South Tyneside Green Party's organic champion and can often be found pottering about at her productive organic allotment where she grows a diverse range of fruit, vegetables and herbs, accompanied by her young son.

Whilst in Stockton Lynne volunteered at Billingham Beck Ecology Park, and after returning to South Shields carried on with her volunteer work helping out with Countryside Volunteers South Tyneside, where she 'gets her hands dirty' in practical conservation work. Lynne is also an active member of both South Tyneside Friends of the Earth and CND.

Lynne is a big advocate of natural and alternative health treatments and holds an holistic therapist qualification for treatment in massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and Indian head massage. She is now studying at South Tyneside College to gain qualifications to enable her to enter university to study environmental science.

Lynne Barber is standing as Green Party candidate for the Westoe ward.

Shirley Ford

Shirley Ford moved to South Shields 9 years ago to get married and has a 7 year old son. Her roots are here in the North East - her parents being from Newcastle and Berwick.

Shirley works at a local primary school supporting parents to enable their children to attend school more regularly. She has worked on holiday playschemes and in youth clubs, and currently helps at the Deaf children’s club in South Shields.

A campaigner for over 20 years, Shirley has worked as a volunteer in Kenya, at War on Want, in Women in Black against war, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and the Stop the War Coalition. Shirley stands for a real sustainable society based .

Shirley has opposed Labour's illegal wars and is critical of the way that the UK's arms industry seems to dictate domestic and foreign policy.

"We must have a truly ethical Foreign Policy, not one that serves the oil and weapons industries."

"Labour has been obsessed with treating our hospitals and schools like businesses rather than public services. It's time to return the NHS to its founding principles - for people not for profit. Our schools need to stay local, not run as Private Finance Initiatives, and stay small, not merged into huge sheds and forcing longer journeys."

"We need to push for more quality local jobs, taking advantage of the growth in new clean technologies like renewable energy, whilst at the same time reducing the need to travel huge distances to work."

Shirley has been selected by the Green Party to stand as parliamentary candidate for the South Shields constituency.

email: shirley.ford@stgreens.org.uk

blog: Shirley Ford

Tony Gair

Tony Gair is 41 and was born in London and brought up in Newcastle. He successfully completed a degree in Maths and Computer Science in Wales, and is currently studying for an MSc in Renewable Energy. He lives in Jarrow with his partner and is setting up a social enterprise to reduce people's fuel bills through cheaper technology for energy management.

Tony decided to stand for the Green Party because of the ethical thread underlining all of its policies and the desire to lift people out of the grip of fuel poverty:

"What I stand for is social justice, lower fuel bills and less dependence through energy efficiency with appropriate local power generation, and maintaining best care of the elderly."

Tony Gair is standing as Green Party candidate for the Primrose ward.

Anna Heyman

Anna Heyman, age 31, was born and brought up in Newcastle, has a degree and MSc from Northumbria University and she now lives in Jarrow with her partner. She is a social policy lecturer and researcher at the University of Sunderland. She has stood for the Green Party in the Walker ward of Newcastle at the last local elections.

Anna believes that Green Party councillors in South Tyneside can kick start green regeneration of the borough:

"Hybrid Buses, increases in cycling and walking routes, free home insulation: this is what Green counsellors have been doing up and down the country and this is what I would work for if elected."

Anna Heyman is standing as Green Party candidate for the Bede ward.

Bramanay Nilsson

Bramanay (Bram) is a local mother of 4, who is an active volunteer as a Breastfeeding Peer Support counsellor and a member and supporter of WHIST (Women's Health in South Tyneside). Despite her busy schedule, she is also an active member of Biddick Hall and Whiteleas Childrens Centre. Bram has studied Religion and Politics at Sunderland and Newcastle Universities.

Whilst Bram has long been interested in environment, sustainability and social justice issues, and is a strong believer in protecting public services.

Bram she believes that people should have more real say on what happens in their communities. Her volunteer work in women's health has led her to the conclusion that our health services should be run for people, not for profit.

Bram is standing as Green Party candidate for the Harton ward.

email: bram.nilsson@stgreens.org.uk

Rachael Taylor

Rachael Taylor is 27 years old and has lived in the Marsden area since 1992. Rachael has 2 young children and works as a volunteer breast feeding peer counsellor alongside Sure Start health visitors. She has been an active animal rights campaigner for 10 years and has been involved with the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS).

Rachael was educated in South Shields and qualified as an aboriculturalist at Durham’s Houghall College. Since starting her family, Rachael has also become very active in a number of local groups including Friends of the Earth. In fact she has been interested in the environment for as long as she can remember working with BTCV for many years tree planting, hedge laying and dry stone walling.

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Promoted by Shirley Ford of 214 Mowbray Road South Shields NE33 3BE, on behalf of South Tyneside Green Party of 214 Mowbray Road South Shields NE33 3BE.