Elaine Pantling
My family has a long tradition of involvement in socialist activities in Leicester. Jabez Chaplin the first Labour Mayor of Leicester was my Great, Great Uncle, my grandma was a union Rep in the hosiery trade and as one of 6 children our house was always full of political debate.
I have lived in Leicester all my life and left school in 1975 and worked in the hosiery trade for 20 years as a ‘Time Served Cutter’. I enrolled for an Access to HE Course and at the age of 40 I gained a BA Hons in Performing Arts. After graduating I worked professionally for 21 years writing and touring with my One Women theatre company. The highlight of my career was writing and performing a community play that celebrated the life of the formidable working class Leicester Suffragette and shoe machinist Alice Hawkins.
I am proud of my working-class roots and have a strong connection with Eyres Monsell as my husband was born on the estate. In fact, the Pantling family were one of the first families to move into the estate in 1953. My husband went onto teach at Linwood School on the Saffron Lane and lived in Eyres Monsell until we married in 1985.
First elected in 2017 in a November By-Election and then again in May 2019. During this time, I have served on a number of scrutiny committees: Adult Social Care, Children and Young People, Housing, Pensions Board, Vice Chair of PCC, Vice Chair of CFA, Chair of Audit and Risk and Chair of Health and Wellbeing. I am Chair of Governors at Eyres Monsell Primary School.
I have a passion for the people and the community in which I have served for the last five years and believe that my experience in communicating, facilitating, supporting, and encouraging people to have a strong voice is of benefit to the citizens in the ward of Eyres Monsell.
Karen Pickering
I grew up in Saffron and went to Linwood school, I joined the hosiery trade as an overlocker before having a family and going to Leicester University as a mature student and gaining a degree in Sociology BA Hons in 2000.
I have over 23yrs experience both voluntary & paid employment in communities as a development coordinator in south Leicester including Eyres Monsell.
Having worked for both City Council & Public Health, I have supported community groups & organisations and I have experience of holding public meetings as both chair & treasurer as well as holding public health forums.
I am a kinship foster carer and I understand the issues that face families with young children and the how the cost-of-living-crisis and the pandemic has impacted them. I am particularly interested in social care & children’s services as well as community cohesion & health.
I have a track
record of campaigning to protect community buildings and public services and I
am committed to being available to listen to local people and hold regular
surgeries in the area.
To contact any candidate, please e-mail: labourinleicester@gmail.com