Peter Hames
APPLEDORE WARD
Peter Hames first became a councillor on Braunton Parish Council and was a very early advocate of recycling and re-use. He was a founder member of the North Devon Conservation Volunteers and contributed to the Ecology (now Green) Party as Press Officer. He has continued his public service south of the Taw/Torridge Estuary on Northam Town Council and since 2019 on Torridge District Council (Appledore Ward) as lead member for Climate Emergency. Peter and his partner Veronica are passionate about vegetable gardening and creating a niche refuge for local wildlife
Huw Thomas
BIDEFORD EAST WARD
Huw Thomas lives in East-the-Water and is married to a girl from North Devon. His original career was as a reporter on local newspapers in Hampshire, Cumbria, Cornwall and Devon, which included regular reporting on local councils. While living in Cornwall, he subsequently worked for the (then) National Asthma Campaign and for two years was charge of communications for disaster relief charity Shelterbox. He has previously worked as a volunteer for Friends of the Earth and Oxfam and supports the Bideford-based North Devon Foodbank. Huw spent three years living in Portugal, teaching English. He currently runs his own business leading cycle tours. In his spare time he enjoys gardening and has recently taken on an allotment at Pollyfields.
Peter Christie
BIDEFORD NORTH WARD
Peter Christie taught at Petroc (North Devon College) for many years and has been a long time lecturer for the Open University. He has also served in the Merchant Navy, been an archaeologist and ran a second-hand book/record shop in the town for 30 years. He has been Mayor of Bideford four times being the first Green Party Mayor in Britain. He has also been chairman of Torridge District Council (TDC), chairman of the town council Plans Committee and Leader of the Non-Aligned Group on TDC. He is the longest serving member on the Bideford Bridge Trust with three terms as chair. Peter is also a trustee of the North Devon Museums Trust and chair of the North Devon Athenaeum. He writes regularly for local newspapers and runs several local historical websites. He has published 41 books on North Devon (20 of these on Bideford) with another one coming out this year. He has an unrivaled knowledge of the history of Bideford and has strived to defend that heritage against unsuitable developments. Peter undertakes to work with any group who have Bideford’s real interests at heart.
Simon Mathers
BIDEFORD SOUTH WARD
Simon Mathers has lived in Bideford South for nearly 20 years. He has taught in local schools for all of that time and will shortly become Assistant Principal in a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school. His three sons attended Bideford College and his wife owns a hair salon in Barnstaple. Simon’s hobbies are surfing and cooking (he worked as a qualified chef before taking a postgraduate teacing qualification at Exeter University).
Keith Funnell
GREAT TORRINGTON WARD
Keith Funnell has lived in Torridge since 1997 and in Great Torrington since 2013. His career as a landscape architect has covered the public, private, voluntary and university sectors. Much of this work has involved restoring landscapes damaged by human activity and designing outdoor spaces on school sites. Keith advocates more immediate and comprehensive action on climate change and opposes the creeping privitisation of essential public services. He supports local groups with landscape advice and practical conservation work and is a keen cyclist and swimmer.
Tracey Beresford
MILTON AND TAMARSIDE WARD
Tracey Beresford has been active within the Green Party since 2014, campaigning to protect social housing and for genuinely affordable new homes. A keen (if slow!) cyclist, she has also campaigned to make walking and cycling safer for people of all ages. Tracey and her partner, Adam, previously ran a small bakery and deli. They are passionate about supporting UK farmers and food producers, and want to see the government deliver on its promises to back regenerative farming. From her home in Pancrasweek, Tracey works as a sub-editor for a national newspaper.
Rosemary Gent
MONKLEIGH AND PUTFORD WARD
Rosemary Gent moved to Torridge in 2011 and for 9 years was full-time carer for her mother. She has known and loved the area since the 1980s and has traced family roots here back to the 18th century. She joined Littleham & Landcross Parish Council in 2021 and is secretary of the local community Biodiversity Group. Rosemary is a freelance arts consultant and administrator, specialising in classical music, having previously worked for the BBC Proms and orchestras in London and Los Angeles. She is involved with several arts organisations in the South West and is passionate about enabling access to arts and culture for everyone. Rosemary is a keen advocate for affordable housing, renewable energy and better public services, and actively supports many climate justice, human rights, environmental and animal welfare campaigns.
Wendy Lo-vel
NORTHAM WARD
Wendy Lo-vel has lived in Torridge since 1979 and in Northam since 1995. She qualified as an agricultural economist and worked on Lundy (1981-95), experiencing at first hand the challenges of living in a sustainable way. She then re-trained and worked as a primary school teacher. Wendy is passionate about supporting the needs and aspirations of local people. She is a volunteer and trustee at North Devon Foodbank and supports charities working with refugees in this country and abroad.