Background

Sarah was educated at a comprehensive school before going to the University of Leeds to study French and Spanish. After graduating she went to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. She spent 13 years in the Army where she worked in communications.

Having served in the UK and abroad, she left in 2015 to spend some time with her 3 daughters, and to campaign for the services that were under threat locally. She led the Save Swindon’s Libraries campaign in 2016, ensuring that none of the town’s libraries closed and that public funding continued to the largest 5 libraries, including Park Library in Cavendish Square.

She then fought the 2017 General Election for Labour in South Swindon, slashing the Tory majority by more than half with a swing to Labour of 9.1%. She has since started working again for a local start up green technology company, and continues to campaign for public services in Swindon.

Family

Sarah’s grandfather was born in Eastcott, where his family lived while they worked for GWR. Sarah travelled all over the UK and abroad while serving in the Army before settling in the Swindon area in 2012, and moving to West Swindon in 2018. Sarah is married to Olly, also a former soldier who was badly injured in Afghanistan. They have 3 daughters. Sarah supports Olly in the work he does to promote better mental health, particularly amongst men, after his experience post-injury.

Work

Sarah loved her time in the military, but now enjoys her job for a local technology start up.

“I am so motivated by the talent and enthusiasm in my workplace in Swindon- we are really driving change in the green technology sector”

Sarah has also volunteered for a number of organisations in Swindon including the Royal British Legion as a casework volunteer, as a mentor at Swindon Restore, Trustee at the Wiltshire Law Centre, Governor at New College, and most recently as Chair of the Old Town Festival Committee.

“Organising the Old Town Festival is a brilliant way to bring the community together. We work very hard in the months leading up to the Festival, but it’s always worth it on the day!”