Like countless immigrants before me I came to London 20 years ago seeking opportunity, excitement, and new experiences. I had trained as a A&E nurse in my native Ireland and continued my work here in a number of London hospitals and clinics. When I was ready to settle down, I got married and I am now raising a family here. My husband grew up near Barking and my father in law worked in Barking since 1963 for Ilford Films.
Communities like Barking are the reason I am in London. I love their rich history and fresh modernity. Their still, quiet, places and their noisy, vibrant ones. Their established communities and the welcome they extend to newcomers.
However, I am also aware of the complex and evolving challenges that all London residents are facing. Over the last twenty years, I have seen London change. I have seen its communities become more divided and I have seen its streets become dirtier and more dangerous. I have seen its schools and hospitals paralysed by strikes and its streets blocked by aspirational but impractical traffic measures. Following recent revelations of institutionalised racism, misogyny and homophobia, the Metropolitan Police is going to need to work hard to rebuild public trust. However, more worrying to me is the fact that 126 London Police Stations closed between 2010 and 2022. Is it any wonder our streets, parks and public spaces feel so unsafe and that those that commit crime feel so unchallenged.
Eventually I had seen enough. I decided that I had to use my skills and experience to give something back to the city that had welcomed me. I started to play an active part in the community and became a Council Health Champion and that led me to volunteer when the Covid-19 vaccine programme was rolled out. That experience profoundly changed me. I met countless ordinary Londoners and heard first hand how hard the lives of many had become. I saw how isolated older people felt living in communities where fear had replaced connection. I saw the challenges facing the ill and disabled in getting around London and accessing basic medical support. I saw poverty and need. These issues were everywhere and whilst the pandemic sharpened our focus on them, I knew they would remain long after the vaccines had been administered. I stood as a London Assembly candidate and I saw further poverty and deprivation when visiting people in their homes even in the centre of our great city. All of that has led me here. I am here because there is no other place, I think I should be.
I am motivated by a deep sense of responsibility, passion, and dedication to serve the people of London. London is an amazing city and Barking is an amazing borough within it. However, this is not represented in the quality of life and availability of opportunity for many of the people that live and work here. This needs to change and I want to help make that change happen. I hope to unite the experiences and voices of all who were born here or have chosen to make it their home and drive impactful change in how Barking is run.
From affordable housing, ULEZ and transportation to environmental sustainability and social equality, there are critical issues that require urgent attention. I am committed to working diligently with Barking residents to develop and implement policies that tackle these issues head-on. After my recent visits to St Margaret's Barking The Abbey Church and spoke to the Reverend Mark about Homelessness and the need for Foodbanks, visiting Hope Children's contact centre ,my meetings with the Met police and the NHS mental health support teams, listening to the frustration felt by resident groups over, CPZs, violent crimes and increase massing and site density of developments, I am only too aware that there really is a lot to do.
If ultimately, I am elected, I will take every opportunity to listen to residents and community organisations. I will work with them to create policies and implement initiatives that will uplift and empower the people of Barking and help deliver a happier, healthier, safer and fairer future for all.