Ruth Abbey

I have lived in the Norfolk Park area of Sheffield since 2011. I have a wealth of experience in my working life: I've been an advisor at Citizens Advice; a university librarian; an NHS administrator and receptionist and an IT support team manager. I currently volunteer at S2 Food Bank as a debt mentor, helping Food Bank clients to deal with their financial problems. I also run a weekly collection for food bank donations. I joined the Green Party after taking part in the campaign to save our local street trees. As a relative newcomer to Sheffield, I know that I am privileged to live in such a green city, and was really moved by the way that local Greens worked within the community to protect our environment during the street trees campaign. I am a keen cyclist, walker and user of public transport, and have been car-free since 2017. As I walk and cycle around our ward, I'm struck by how much the place we live affects our mental health - our ward deserves to be both clean and green - there's a lot of work to do there. I regularly litter-pick around our ward, and organise a monthly litter-pick on the Manor. But I know that more needs to be done. I am particularly concerned by the poor air quality in Sheffield and the effect it has on our health and the health of children in the city. I think that Sheffield City Council should reflect the best of Sheffield: our care for others; our strong sense of community and our plain-speaking approach to life. Those are the values that make this such a great place to live. If elected as Manor Castle's first Green councillor, I would welcome the chance to dedicate myself full-time to the residents of Manor Castle ward, and to help bring the values of the Green Party to Sheffield City Council. Those are the values that led me to join the Greens: a commitment to our environment and a belief in an equal chance for everybody, whatever their background or way of life.