ABOUT ME:
I grew up watching my hard-working self-employed parents do everything they could to provide their children with an exceptional free-range childhood. That didn’t mean we were given everything, it meant we grabbed opportunities that came our way.
As a result, I’ve gained different experience including:
· volunteering as a mentor, fundraiser and charitable trustee
· training as a sports coach
· giving my time as an Alumni Fellow for my former university
· learning to drive a big lorry; and
· taking on public service roles as a school governor and as a District Councillor.
In my youth I wanted to be a professional event rider. I was lucky enough to compete among the world’s best giving me an understanding of the hard work and dedication necessary to reach the top and it has left me with a life-long love of horse sport. Working with horses has taught me the importance of consistency and a very good understanding of non-verbal communication.
I was the first in my family to attend university, which eventually turned into three universities over seven years studying agriculture, business and law. Newly graduated and a young single-parent, my primary focus was on making sure my family had stability.
For most of my career I’ve been in sales and marketing roles giving me a practical working knowledge of a variety of sizes and types of business. I’ve worked my way up from the bottom and now I’m head of the business development, responsible for leading a team managing the marketing and growth of the firm.
In my career I have relied on never accepting that ‘it’s the way we have always done it’ as being the best way. Whether fighting for issues locally or being part of the team to repair the Conservative brand. I’ll be the person consistently asking ‘Why?’ and taking steps to lead change.
I look forward to establishing links throughout South Down to identify and understand local issues. I will spend time being curious, getting to know people, businesses and opportunities locally. Just like I have in every stage of my career so far, I’ll make this a priority from the very start and it will continue to be a centrepiece of how I work if elected as your MP.
I would fight on your behalf for:
· the application of a national common-sense approach to politics
· more investment for South Down
· better services delivered across the Constituency and Northern Ireland more broadly
· finding new and creative ways to strengthen our rural economy while supporting business and encouraging innovation for a brighter future.
I want to be a representative that you can be proud of. I cannot promise that I will be able to solve every problem locally – and I cannot promise that we will all agree on everything but I can and will promise:
· I’ll listen
· I’ll stand up for what is right
· I’ll do my best to support the people living in South Down.