An interview with: Karen Tweedale

I have lived in Daventry for the last 10 years, after moving from Birmingham to Middlemore. It was a drive through Daventry, that made me look into relocating; the surrounding countryside and quaint town appealed to me. Daventry is just the right size to have everything you need in a town, with barely any traffic, meaning more time to get involved with the community and have chance to read my favourite books: The Iliad and The Odyssey.

The Royal Wedding in 2011 made me realise that I wanted to become more involved in the local community. At this time there were no plans for street party celebrations, so I printed out leaflets and spoke to neighbours about becoming involved with one to celebrate the Royal Wedding. This community style event kickstarted my enthusiasm for becoming involved in the community.

In 2014 I was elected to join the Town Council. Prior to this, in 2012 I became actively involved in the Local Resident Association. We initially formed to campaign for another school to be built in the area. It is this community aspect that I love about Daventry; I enjoy helping and encouraging people to come together. The aim of community events is to ensure that people feel involved in the area they live in.

One of my highlights of being a Town Councillor includes dressing up as an elf to help Santa at his busiest time of the year and my favourite event is the Motorbike Festival.

The Town Council has grown so much since I joined. The level of community spirit never ceases to amaze me, and I would love to see more events take place in the town. As a Council I would like for us to continue to be the voice of the people, so that views are listened to. As the town continues to grow it is important for DTC to continue its role as caretaker for the town, ensuring that it is a safe place for people to work, live and visit.

~ends~