From the School Run to the Council Chamber, this is My Journey.
Having been elected Area Co-Chair for Birmingham, Heartlands, Solihull, and Coventry for the Conservative Women’s Organisation (CWO), I’ve begun working to recruit, encourage, and empower women to get involved in politics. But nothing is more powerful than hearing the story of someone who’s been through it.
My political journey began, like most days, on the school run. I found myself repeatedly complaining to a fellow mum about the state of education, schooling, and SEND provision. The system was broken, and no matter who I spoke to, my complaints went unheard. That fellow mum was Yvonne Clements, now the chair of the West Midlands Conservative Women’s Organisation. At the time, she was running for the Council in Elmdon and had become deeply involved with the Conservative Party.
I’ve always cared deeply about politics and held strong views on public issues, but I never felt that elected office was within my reach. Yvonne made it clear: if I wasn’t happy, I needed to stop complaining, get out there, and change things. She explained the work of the CWO and how they could support me in standing as a councillor. The Conservative Party was actively recruiting more women from all walks of life—passionate people with real-life experience who wanted to make a difference and bring about change.
So, I joined the CWO and got involved.
Listening to members who were working to get more women elected as councillors, Police and Crime Commissioners, and MPs was eye-opening. I was told to contribute whatever time I could spare (as a mum of two boys working full-time, I laughed and thought, "What spare time?"). But once I dipped my toes in, I realised that change was possible. Knowing how easy it could be to make a real difference, I’d lost the right to just complain.
During COVID-19, I enrolled in more CWO online courses and learned what I needed to know to stand as a councillor in Solihull. I contacted the Solihull Conservative Association, filled out the forms, attended an interview, and put myself forward as a potential councillor.
Nothing worth doing is easy, and I was rejected on my first try. The following year, I went through another interview and tried again. It was a stressful day—my husband had been feeling unwell and was admitted to the hospital with appendicitis just before the interview. With two boys at home and my husband in the hospital (where he wasn’t allowed visitors), I sat at my computer and did my interview online.
Juggling family and a career is always difficult, but I got through it and was placed back on the list of candidates.
I wanted to represent my community, so I applied for the St. Alphege Ward. I wasn’t interested in any other area—St. Alphege is where I took my boys to church, sent them to school, and spent all our time.
Since then, it’s been a privilege to serve my community in St. Alphege as a councillor.
Success requires building each other up, and everyone needs encouragement along the way. While anyone can get involved, politics isn’t easy—you need people who can support you. Since joining, I’ve always encouraged other women to get involved—my neighbour even ran for the Council in May 2024. Despite being unsuccessful, she’s determined to try again. This is what I love about being involved with the CWO—encouraging more women (and men!) to enter politics and helping them with their journey, in the hope that they will, in turn, support others who follow.
As West Midlands Area Co-Chair, I’m filling the diary with chats, conversations, and meetings with women who want to be involved with the party. I’m encouraging them to come out and campaign, meet the members, and get the training they need to understand the political landscape. The CWO does amazing work across the region, and it’s the efforts of those behind the scenes that enable those who want to stand to be elected. No woman is an island. For many, it’s the support of a few (or an army) of people who believe in them and their values that enables them to improve their communities.
Politics is about the people you meet along the way and working together to make change. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve accomplished as a councillor in the last two years. I’ve pushed myself to achieve more than I ever imagined I could. Politics has opened doors and opportunities that, if you had asked me five years ago, I would never have believed were possible. It’s been an amazing career change and one that I love.
Political opinions aside, we must admit that the more people involved in democracy, the better. It’s easy to feel frustrated with the political divide and relentless division, but good people will always do what they think is right, no matter the colour of the rosette. I’ve left the days of moaning on the school run behind me and decided to make a difference.
I hope that knowing change is within reach will encourage more women to get involved—and when they do, we’ll be there to support them.
