Wendy Brooks

I was born In Luton and my father was an aeronautical engineer at the Luton factory, my mum was a reluctant housewife. We moved from Luton when I was 16, as the BAC factory closed and the airport opened. My family eventually settled in Bristol. Soon after that I moved to London and spent most of working life as a secondary teacher of English in the inner city. I have a son, who I raised as a single parent.

30 plus years later, I took early retirement and being familiar with Suffolk from my childhood holidays to Corton Caravan Club and weekend trips in my adult life to Blythburgh, where I and my friends and family stayed in a friend’s house to escape London. Suffolk represented peace and quiet to me.

Lowestoft, for me, is a very easy place to live. The beaches, countryside and history are wonderful, but for me it is the people and their dry humour. Frequently, I fell for comments that were in fact ironic. Always warm, never nasty nor boastful. As I started to get to know the town and people I eventually started volunteering with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and met a whole range of people with a passion for the great outdoors. Later I met the people who knew about their town’s history and was involved in trying to save the record office. I consider Lowestoft very much my home, and when I go away I am always happy to return. 

The town faces many challenges, like the rest of the UK. I believe we have to work together to protect our open spaces; our heritage and basic freedoms; to give everyone opportunities to work and study and enjoy life. I will stand up against discrimination in all forms and will not tolerate bullies. I am elected to represent Gunton ward and serve the town of Lowestoft.