ELEANOR Thomson is standing as Labour and Cooperative candidate in her home ward of Guiseley and Rawdon in the local elections.

She says she is determined to make a real difference after one of the most difficult years in living memory.

“Since standing as candidate in 2019 I have continued to work with and for residents in our ward," Mrs Thomson said.

“Covid has hit hard. I have seen the impact it has had on local businesses and community life. We all know friends and family who have been ill. Many are mourning loved ones. Yet, I have seen so many acts of kindness and real community spirit. I am thankful for everyone who has worked to keep our community safe.”

If elected, she promises to work differently. “We cannot carry on as before. We need a fresh start. I will work constructively with everyone to get things done. I will be approachable. I will be available. I will be accountable. I will be a strong local voice that we need on Leeds City Council.”

Mrs Thomson lives with her family in Guiseley and is chair of the Friends of Springfield Park and Guiseley Wells and a deacon and trustee of a local church. After a career in IT and finance, she worked for several years with new and expectant families and volunteered in local children’s centres, where she started to see the real impact of funding cuts.

She has been working on a long-term campaign to improve road safety in the ward as well as local bus and rail services. She has been leading a group of volunteers who monitor speeding in the ward and feed their findings back to the council and local police. Last year she sewing scrubs for Airedale Hospital and countless face coverings.

The Covid crisis has changed the way Mrs Thomson has been campaigning.

“I enjoy getting out and meeting voters, but I take our community’s safety and wellbeing very seriously, so I have to find other ways to listen. We need to know that the elections will be conducted safely for all involved," she said.

Speaking about what motivated her to stand for councillor, she said: “I am so tired of services being lost due to Conservative government funding cuts. Time and time again I saw things not being done, or heard of people not being listened to. I could either sit in silence, complain about things, or step up. I decided to step up.”