Shirley Ford is 46 and has lived in South Shields for 12 years. She works in a local primary school, supporting parents, and is married with a 10-year-old son. She is active in the new South of the Tyne Transition Town. She is secretary of Save our Seafront campaign, which succeeded in stopping the sell-off of Gypsies Green stadium for a conference centre development and is demanding it be restored as a sporting facility. She has been South Tyneside co-ordinator of the Keep Metro Public campaign and is on the steering group of Unite Against Fascism North East.