An East Suffolk native, Rachel attended Farlingaye High school and has since worked for an environmental conservation charity in Norwich and at RSPB Minsmere, as well as in the Far East teaching street kids amongst other occupations.
A long-time activist with Greenpeace and later Extinction Rebellion, she realised that with the looming climate and biodiversity crisis, she needed to get involved politically. She joined the Green Party in 2011 and has stood three times in local elections and in the 2015 and 2019 General Elections gaining 6% of the vote share thus retaining the Party’s deposit for the first time in the area. In May 2019 she secured her first seat – on East Suffolk Council – the first Green to be elected in the old Suffolk Coastal district.
She is passionate about protecting the area’s natural environment from inappropriate development and the links between sustainable transport and improved air quality. Her other interests include localism and ‘passiv haus’ affordable housing as part of a post-growth society.