I AM a member of Herefordshire Women’s Equality Group (HWEG), an informal campaigning group.

We promote gender equality because we believe it has benefits for everyone, regardless of gender or political allegiance.

This month I, along with other members, am actively helping women election candidates who have asked us for support with leafleting and canvassing. I’ve been encouraged to do this by learning more about women’s experience of being a councillor at HWEG’s monthly meetings.

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It is vital that women’s voices are heard on the council. Much of the budget is spent on social care, an area important to women who, traditionally, take on unpaid caring roles. It is also important that women’s voices are heard in the planning and design of our public spaces.

Unfortunately, the gender ratio is heavily weighted in favour of men, with 133 male to 59 female candidates.

I hope that people will think to vote for women on May 4 and help us to redress this longstanding imbalance. We are 50 per cent of the population and we hope that our next council can have 50 per cent women councillors.

BARBARA SHORE

Bartestree