Andrew Gray, 42, was born in Newcastle and has lived in Heaton for nearly 10 years. He works in a local library, where he also acts as a trade union caseworker and negotiator, in particular for hourly-paid casualised staff. He has been involved in many community campaigns, including the BAN Waste citizens' select committee in Newcastle. He is an active CND member and helped blockade the nuclear bomb factory at Aldermaston this February. He is also an unpaid director of a not-for-profit software company and a keen allotment gardener.