Anne has been passionate about the Green Party since reading our 2010 General Election manifesto – and joined as a member shortly after. As a vegetarian of 35 years, and a grandparent seeking a positive future for the next generation, she was initially drawn to the Party by the strong environmental and animal rights policies. But like so many of us, the more she learned about the Green’s policies and values, the more she realised that the Green Party has a comprehensive approach towards creating a bright and flourishing society.
Since then, Anne joined the Green Party and became actively involved. She started off sticking labels on to election leaflets, before standing as a candidate in Nether Edge in 2014, and is now one of our target ward candidates. It’s been an enormous journey, but she finds it so exciting to get out into the community and work to bring about positive changes. She enjoys going out door knocking and talking to local groups, getting our message across and helping people to realise that the Green Party is so much more than “just an environmental party”.
Anne’s biggest focus on becoming a Councillor is the way that it can help her work with the community and achieve things that aren’t accessible to ordinary citizens. For example, Anne has been working with local groups like the PACT (Partnerships and Communities Together) to try and take a different approach towards tackling anti-social behaviour in the area. Anne would like to see much more innovative steps taken, bringing together the community and mentoring young people who are causing problems for others. “It’s not about always having the right answers”, she comments, “but more about asking the right questions and bringing together the right people to answer them.”
We discuss the work that Jillian Creasy has done in her 11 years as a Councillor, and what that means for Anne who seeks to replace her on the Council. Anne has been working very closely with Jillian over the last year, seeking to learn about the vast array of people, communities and contacts that Jillian has built up over the years. Anne tells me that she has very big boots to fill, but has the willingness to learn and the commitment to put in the hard work to carry on Jillian’s legacy as a Green Councillor.
We’ve got just two weeks until the election, with a good prospect of electing Anne Barr to Sheffield City Council and Jillian Creasy to Parliament. If you want to get involved in this campaign, then click here to visit the calendar http://srgp.nationbuilder.com/calendar and here to sign up to volunteer http://srgp.nationbuilder.com/volunteer