Kerrie is 42 and has lived in Batchley for eight years. She is the partner of Martin and they live together with her daughter Louise. Kerrie has two other adult children, Lita and Markus. She also shares the house with her three rescue greyhounds, Dotty, Skye and Britney.

Kerrie lives with fibromyalgia and a degenerative spinal condition but doesn’t let that stop her. She is active in her local community and for the last year has worked tirelessly as your councillor to get things done in Batchley and Brockhill.

She volunteers at Batchley Support Group twice a week, helping in the Community Pantry which offers fresh food a greatly reduced cost. For Kerrie, her voluntary work at BSG is a way to give back to her local community and to help those in need.

‘There are a lot of people who are having a tough time right now. The cost of living is biting hard, and families and individuals are struggling. I want to do things that make things better for people as no one should be suffering in this day and age and volunteering for BSG is a way for me to do that’.

Kerrie’s desire to help people in times of need is obvious. She has recently undertaken training in suicide prevention and also in how to support survivors of domestic abuse.

‘I will always do what I can to help the residents of Batchley and Brockhill and taking these training courses has given me new ways in which I can help. With my disability I know how hard it can be sometimes to get up in the morning and face the day when you are in pain. I’m lucky that I have a fantastic support network around me that keeps me going but not everyone has that. That is why I do what I can to help others.’

Kerrie is also passionate about promoting equality. Her own experiences living with a disability has played a part in that however it is the experiences of her transgender son that has truly lit the fire within her. ‘I see how Markus is treated day after day just for being his authentic self and it makes me angry. I don’t understand how or why people treat people who are different to themselves in such a bad way. We are all humans, and we all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. I will always do all I can to fight discrimination and to support those who are affected by it.’

In her spare time, Kerrie is studying for a Sociology degree through the Open University and part of a local darts team. She enjoys time with the family and visiting new places.