Trish Marchant grew up in and lives in Gillingham with her partner and a dozen hens. She is a chartered electrical engineer, has worked in both the private and public sector, and now works for the NHS as deputy environment manager at the local acute hospital. She is a member of the RSPB, WWF, Friends of the Earth and Sustrans and also supports a number of local voluntary groups including being a founder member of Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway and chair of the Medway Waste Forum, which seeks to raise awareness of environmental issues through outreach work in the community.