Personal Statement: 

I live in Scotlandwell, near Kinross, with my husband, Nick and adult disabled son, Archie. After a career of over thirty years in teaching, including ten leading a Language Department, I took early retirement to become his unpaid carer and further my political aspirations.
As an approved Parliamentary Candidate, I am on the Mid Scotland and Fife Regional List, MSP Candidate for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire and a Ward champion in a 150+ Rising Target Ward. I stood in the General Election in Perth and Kinross-shire in July 2024 whilst also supporting campaigns in North East Fife and other target seats.
I am a graduate of the Future Leaders’ Course 2023/24 where I learnt much about planning campaigns, messaging and canvassing. It also helped me hone my people management skills and work as part of a team.
A veritable local champion I volunteer regularly for the Anti- Poverty Charity in Kinross and the local Gala Committee. I am also a member of the Portmoak Community Council.
I am a member of the board of directors for Shared Care- one of the largest charities that seek to improve the quality, choice and availability of short breaks and respite care across Scotland.
 
What skills/experience will you bring to the role?

Being a teacher by profession and an active campaigner, carer and community champion, I believe I have many skills and experiences to continue to offer the Policy Committee over the next two years. I am a seasoned door knocker and have canvassed and delivered in many elections since 2019. I will be very actively engaged in campaigning over the next eighteen months for the Scottish Government and Local Elections. It will be important to have input from a Policy Committee Member who is literally on the chalk face /doorsteps  
I am a retired teacher of 30 years and now an Unpaid Carer for our Adult Disabled son. I have enjoyed being a member of the Policy Committee since January 24, I have used these professional and personal experiences to work up and summate motions on Supporting Child Bereavement, ASN Education and Young Carers. Having had to constantly fight to get what we need to care for our son, I know the challenges faced by families battling systems to get diagnoses, the right education and funding for support and respite.
As a community volunteer I witness the impact of the Cost of Living crisis on families every week. I know how families struggle as I witness it every week when I deliver food parcels and vouchers. As a newly elected Community Councillor I am learning week in and week out what matters to voters from speeding to safe access to public parks and paths.
My husband runs a small manufacturing business that exports to the US and Europe. I know about the challenges he faces on a daily basis from extra paperwork to the impact of Trump’s tariffs and exchange rate fluctuations that erode profits.
I was also delighted to have helped strengthen a question that Alex Cole-Hamilton posed in Holyrood about the lack of NHS Scotland App using my family’s story.  
I have also recently been invited to be a member of the board of Directors for Shared Care- one of the largest charities in Scotland that support carers in getting respite. With the Right to a Break becoming enshrined in law following the Care Reform Bill I will have first hand knowledge of how this is working and being implemented.

What do you hope to achieve if elected?

I have been a committed member of the Policy Committee since January 2024, attending meetings regularly and being actively involved with a variety of motions- three of which I have successfully summated at Conferences.
Now that I have had the opportunity of working as part of a team discussing and scrutinising manifestos for the General Election and Scottish Parliament Election, I would like to continue to bring my knowledge and expertise to the Policy Committee as we prepare for Holyrood and the Local Elections in 2027.  
With a greater knowledge and understanding of our excellent, powerful policies I would hope to be able to promote them on the campaign trail and during hustings, spreading the message of change with fairness at its heart.
If I were to be re-elected to the Policy Committee, I hope to once again use my professional experiences and personal skills to influence, guide and inform the Scottish Liberal Democrats Policies and manifestos over the next exciting two years.