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Hello. I’m Rosemary Dartnall, Labour councillor for Column ward – Shrewsbury Town Council and for one of three seats on Shropshire Council representing the residents of Bayston Hill, Column and Sutton.

My working background includes 32 years in the private sector, as an employee and running my own business. After sixth form I worked in footwear retail – selling shoes, managing shops and then later became a buyer, then buying director. My own business followed and was about product design, mainly working in Italy, supplying retailers throughout the UK. In the late 1990s the sudden death of my partner led me to rethink life and begin to think about how to change my career. I had the wonderful opportunity to return to education, and studied to become a geologist then shared time between study, research and teaching.

My priorities are education and the environment. For me, these two things are linked – I feel they enable each of us to make the most of what we have in life. A good formal education for our children and young adults is obviously essential and provides the best start in life. It is also true that by learning new skills, for example, by taking on hobbies, adults of all ages can find unexpected fulfilment.