Leicester Green Party Candidates for Castle Ward, May 2007

This is the most marginal ward in Leicester - a place where literally every vote counts. In 2003, the luck of the draw prevented Castle Ward from making history by electing Leicester's first Green councillor. After four recounts, the Green Party's Bob Ball dead-heated with Labour's Patrick Kitterick, and the name drawn out of a polling box was that of the Labour candidate.
Afterwards Bob Ball said: "While canvassing, I found many people who, although disillusioned with the three main parties, felt that under our first-past-the-post system a vote for a smaller party wouldn't make any difference. Some of those people will now be considering ruefully how just one more vote would have made a huge difference by electing a Green councillor to speak for all those sickened by conventional politics."

Matt Follett Matt Follett, the lead candidate in Castle Ward, is a lecturer at the University of Leicester. He has served on management committees of the Leicestershire Mediation Service and the Highfields Community Association and is a founder member of the Leicester Social Forum. Matt has appeared on national and local BBC radio, and BBC TV on issues affecting the City of Leicester. Matt has taken a lead role in local campaigns including Save the Queens Road Post Office, protecting the small shops in Queens Road against supermarket expansion and protesting about the cancellation of the Caribbean Festival. He is currently completing a PhD in community safety issues at the Open University.

Trisha Jessiman Trish Jessiman is Research Coordinator at The National Youth Agency headquarters in Leicester. A long time believer in voluntary work, Trish has worked as a volunteer youth worker and a mentor for young offenders, and in support of adults with dyslexia. She is a keen violinist and plays in a local Celidh band. Trish has been involved in various campaigning activities in the city of Leicester. She supports Fair Trade shopping, is taking an active role in the campaign to protect Queens Road shops against supermarket expansion and believes that elected members "should be more focused on making Leicester a great city to live in than on political party bun fights".

Phil Gordon Phil Gordon is a well known face in the area, working tirelessly for wildlife and conservation charities. Phil is a big believer in how the wildlife environment enhances our quality of life. He is a keen supporter of the value of local parks to local residents, believing that "there's no doubting the connection between the quality of people's environment and their quality of life".

Promoted by Leicester Green Party at 89a Winchester Avenue, Leicester LE3 1AY

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	Matt Follett, the lead candidate in Castle Ward, is a lecturer at the University of Leicester. He has served on management committees of the Leicestershire Mediation Service and the Highfields Community Association and is a founder member of the Leicester Social Forum. Matt has appeared on national and local BBC radio, and BBC TV on issues affecting the City of Leicester. Matt has taken a lead role in local campaigns including Save the Queens Road Post Office, protecting the small shops in Queens Road against supermarket expansion and protesting about the cancellation of the Caribbean Festival. He is currently completing a PhD in community safety issues at the Open University.
	Trish Jessiman is Research Coordinator at The National Youth Agency headquarters in Leicester. A long time believer in voluntary work, Trish has worked as a volunteer youth worker and a mentor for young offenders, and in support of adults with dyslexia. She is a keen violinist and plays in a local Celidh band. Trish has been involved in various campaigning activities in the city of Leicester. She supports Fair Trade shopping, is taking an active role in the campaign to protect Queens Road shops against supermarket expansion and believes that elected members "should be more focused on making Leicester a great city to live in than on political party bun fights".
	Phil Gordon is a well known face in the area, working tirelessly for wildlife and conservation charities. Phil is a big believer in how the wildlife environment enhances our quality of life. He is a keen supporter of the value of local parks to local residents, believing that "there's no doubting the connection between the quality of people's environment and their quality of life".