A CHARD resident standing against Yeovil MP Marcus Fysh as the Green Party candidate in the next general election said she wants to be a politician “connected to the wider community of the constituency”.

Serena Wootton, who was a town councillor for three years, said she is aiming to be the first Green MP for Somerset.

She said she wants to “truly represents” the constituency while working alongside the youths, minority groups, businesses, and the elderly in the community.

She said: “I was a town councillor for three years, which I found very interesting, and enjoyed the direct involvement with the local community.

“I started with a group of enthusiastic members of the community that wanted to set up a community space in Chard. After seven months of planning and fundraising, we secured the old Dovetails shop and moved in last year to start Chard Community Hub.


Chard & Ilminster News: Left to right, Serena Wootton, Caroline Lucas, Green Party politician, and Tim Eggins Left to right, Serena Wootton, Caroline Lucas, Green Party politician, and Tim Eggins (Image: Contributed)

“I am passionate about inclusivity, access for all our town members to a meaningful role within their community, quality education for all, helping those members of the community that struggle to access services, helping those hardest to reach people.

“My role at Chard Community Hub and membership of Chard Together means I am actively talking to some of Chard’s most vulnerable residents and want to make sure they feel they have a voice and that their opinion matters.

“I am happy to work alongside others and have an interest in a variety of different groups, so happy to be flexible as we have so many talented members with equally relevant experience.

“I can list my green environmental credentials but as a Green Party candidate, I think people will see me as having those already.

“If it is questioned, I am a lifelong environmentalist and I am happy to answer questions on how I believe there are Green Policies that would support businesses and families in this constituency.

“I feel very passionate about the NHS, my mother worked for The National Health Service most of her life. It should be kept free at the point of use; this includes eye tests and dental care.

“Nurses should receive a 15 per cent pay rise and be given free parking at work with a structured investment and training plan to fill the 45,000 vacancies.

“The South West has shown that it could not only produce all of its own energy but there would be an excess that would be exported across the UK.

“For this to happen we need to support solar panels on all new build homes, tidal power in the Bristol channel, and proper support for households to insulate their properties for a start.

“I have written a whole page of reasons why my active participation within my local community is so important to me and demonstrates how I would like to be a local ‘Yeovil wide’ Member of Parliament.

“Not a politician who wants to become part of an inner circle, but someone that is in contact and connected to the wider local community of the Yeovil constituency, that truly represents them, that is contactable and approachable.”