LGBT activists selected for Brighton city council poll Geoffrey Bowden and Steph Powell Web page
Two candidates with long track records working for the lesbian gay' bi and trans (LGBT) communities have been selected by the Green Party to stand in the May 2011 city council elections for Queen's Park Ward' central Brighton.
The Green Party holds all three council seats in the area which includes the Tarner estate and the vibrant St James's Street neighbourhood - with its cluster of LGBT owned and run businesses.
Youth careers adviser and community activist Steph Powell and Geoffrey Bowden' a journalist and healthcare communications consultant' have been selected to stand alongside serving councillor Ben Duncan.
Steph has played a major part in the campaign to save a frontline youth careers service in the city from closure as a result of Coalition cuts to local government.
Geoffrey has many years' experience of working with the NHS' patient groups and healthcare professionals.
He has worked with the Albert Kennedy Trust' a charity that supports homeless LGBT young people' has served as a Trustee of Pride in Brighton and Hove and is a former prison visitor. He is also chair of the Kemp Town Carnival.
Serving councillors Rachel Fryer and Paul Steedman are standing down after four years service for residents in the area.
Ben said' "I'm honoured to have two outstanding community activists with years of professional experience standing with me and who will advocate strongly for LGBT people and the wider community.
"Queen's Park is one of the most diverse and exciting parts of city. Dynamic and responsive Green councillors have shown time and time again across the city that they trump the other parties - whatever their political colour - on the results they achieve for local people.
"Steph and Geoffrey will offer flair' insight and expertise as first rate community councillors benefiting everyone in the neighbourhood."
Get in touch with Queen's Park's Green candidates
Residents can contact Ben' Geoffrey and Steph at: E-mail Twitter Party Office Tel: 01273 766 670
Candidate biographies
Geoffrey Bowden
Geoffrey is a journalist and community activist living in Kemptown who runs a Brighton-based health and social care communications company.
He works with NHS and patient care charities which gives him insight into the damage caused by the policies of the Coalition and previous Labour governments – particularly the rapid sell-off of the NHS to profit-making companies.
He was a key activist in the cross party campaign' which successfully won a decisive no vote in a referendum to decide whether Brighton & Hove should have a locally elected mayor.
Geoffrey also has a track record of activism in the lesbian' gay' bi and trans (LGBT)community having been a volunteer for Pride in Brighton & Hove' the Albert Kennedy Trust' which is dedicated to supporting homeless LGBT teenagers and Voices from Care' a charity that helps former residents of care homes.
He has also been a prison visitor helping long term prisoners who need advice and support.
Steph Powell
Steph has 15 years' professional experience in retail management' recruitment' and career development.
She works for a youth careers service in Brighton' assisting vulnerable 16 -19 olds with their career and work choices – especially those who are not yet in education' employment or training (NEETs).
Steph is active in the campaign to save Brighton youth careers' services from central government cuts.
Based in Kemptown for the last six years' Steph takes an interest in community politics' including the lesbian' gay' bisexual and trans community. She is also active in her trade union.
Supporting local charities is a big motivation for her candidacy.
Steph is passionate about helping voluntary groups advocating for people in need.
She also takes an interest in local wildlife groups and in the protection of conservation areas and urban green spaces.
Councillor Ben Duncan
Ben grew up in East Sussex' attending secondary school in Hastings before leaving the area to study and work as a journalist' writer and social campaigner.
He enjoyed a spell working alongside Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas before being elected to Brighton and Hove City Council to represent Queen's Park' and appointed to Sussex Police Authority' in 2007 – the only Brighton and Hove representative on the authority.
Ben's hobbies include running (he completed the first Brighton Marathon in 2010' raising £630 for the Brighton Unemployed Families Centre along the way)' and cooking (the spicier the better!).
With a background in Human Rights Law' Ben is the Green Party's National Spokesperson on Policing and Home Affairs and stood for Parliament in 2010. His political interests include policing and community safety' equalities and education.
When Ben's not busy doing council work here in Queen's Park' he works part-time at a London Further Education college promoting work-based training for some of the most deprived teenagers in the capital and adult education for all.
He is a single parent' and lives in the ward a few minutes' walk from Queen's Park with his six-year-old son' a pupil at Coombe Road Primary School.
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