I have noticed an increased number of hits on my website these past couple of weeks. A slight increase in people wondering who I am. I suspect that the reason for this curiosity is because I am standing to be a District Councillor in the local elections on 4 May. And you have probably googled me. This means that you, lucky person that you are, are not only in my ward, you are also in possession of a leaflet with a photo of me on it. Hello!
So, what do you want to know? Shall I tell you how I got here?
I was firtling about in my kitchen a few weeks ago and I saw someone outside trying to find my postbox. I went outside to relieve them of their literature and discovered that the person on the other end of it was Nigel Rock, District Councillor for the current ward of Fenny Compton and Napton. I asked him a few questions. And then I asked him some more. A week later, he re-appeared at my gate and asked me to run with him in the new ward.
I must pause here – under the Boundary Commission changes there is going to be a new ward, a new two councillor ward, and all voters will have two votes for their two councillors. And if you’re holding the Lib Dem leaflet with me and Nigel on in your mitts, then you’re in that ward and you have two votes.
Anyway, back to Nigel. I wasn’t too sure about the whole thing. Regular readers of my blog will know that I’m not all that keen on politicians. Who would be these past few years? Not one to be deterred by, well anything it would seem, Nigel took me to meet some other local Councillors and then some of the Lib Dem Executive and Campaigners. After the meeting with the Councillors I did feel that the job was within my capabilities. After meeting with the Campaigners, I felt that the shameless self-promotion was not. I was torn. So I did what any sensible person would do, and that is ask other people what they thought.
First out of the blocks, a complete stranger suggested I should do it to “sit on the fence, why not?” It felt a bit like the time at secondary school when a girl told me I couldn’t be a solicitor because I was from a single parent family. Wrong.
Next, Sister A thought it would be a good idea because “it would give you something to do.” Because, again as regular readers know I spend all of my days in a horizontal position on the sofa eating biscuits. Helpful.
Straight and to the point, Eldest Childerbeast responded with the incredibly teenage and predictable: “What would you want to do that for?” almost immediately followed by “When’s tea?” Brilliant.
Diminutive Friend wanted to delve into the philosophy of it: “Natalie, Politics? Really? You are honest, you have integrity and you would make decisions for the best of your community rather than what is best for you personally – are you quite sure you’re the right person for the job?” Now we were getting somewhere.
I wasn’t sure I was the right person for the job, I tried to put everyone off. “Look, I’m opinionated, I don’t do as I’m told and I won’t be pushed around.” I have never seen a group of people look so pleased at the prospect of someone annoying them in their place of work on a regular basis. Nigel looked positively delighted: “You’re perfect.”
I decided to go for it. What was the worst that could happen? Funny you should ask that.
As far as I am concerned, the worst that could happen was to come immediately next: campaigning. I had a camera poked in my face and my face slapped on a leaflet, for which I can only apologise – it is much better for me to be on the inside looking out. I don’t like it much, but I remembered reading a quote about advertising: if you run a business without advertising, it’s like winking at a girl in the dark – you know what you’re doing but no one else does. If you don’t know who I am, then I can’t be surprised if you don’t vote for me, can I?
If you’ve read this far, without drifting off, then well done and keep your eye out as I’ll be doing a few more of these over the next few weeks. However, if you simply can’t wait (and who could possibly blame you?) and you want to know more about me, you can find lots of articles on my blog. You can find more out about the Lib Dems locally – here: https://www.facebook.com/SuALibDems/
Also feel free to email me with any comments, queries or questions at natalie4district@yahoo.com. I’d be very pleased to hear from you.
Published and promoted by Richard Vos on behalf of Nigel Rock and Natalie Gist (Liberal Democrats) all at 55 Ely St, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6LN
Natalie Gist 