Sewell – Gillian Francis
I have worked in Norwich as a tutor, teacher in both private and mainstream schools, and more recently, with vulnerable and SEND young people outside the school environment. Alongside this, I work in performance production, community arts and as a visual artist.
My daughter has learning disabilities and lives in residential care, and I am sole carer of my granddaughter, who has developmental delay. This life experience gives me insights that I hope will enable me to help others. I believe that we can all make a difference by starting small and working on the things close to us that we can change.
In 2020, I was setting up MPC (https://makeplayconnect.co.uk/) when the Covid pandemic hit. This experience demonstrated what could be achieved by a community. I co-founded the Norfolk Scrubs Volunteers and coordinated the Norfolk Scrubs Hub. With over 1400 volunteers across Norfolk, we produced and delivered thousands of sets of scrubs to frontline workers, and created a county wide support network that helped isolated individuals feel connected and have a purpose during lockdowns.
I believe the Green Party is creating strong inclusive communities able to make positive change. As a Green Party councillor, I am committed to representing the concerns of my local community and help them develop projects that benefit and empower them. I will continue to work with residents to transform the Angel Road school into a community hub and I will develop my work with minority groups and families with SEND children, with a focus on education.