Richard Dean
Dr Richard Dean is a local GP and is standing for election in Dursley division, which covers Uley, Coaley, Frocester and The Stanleys.
He has experience of political campaigning and the electoral system, having previously stood several times for election to Stroud District Council, where he hoped to represent his home village of Chalford.
He decided to stand for election to the county council after being involved in Carla Denyer’s successful campaign last year to become MP for Central Bristol. He says: “The General Election was really exciting for the Green Party, and having been personally involved in Carla’s campaign I decided that I needed to stand up and be counted.
“I strongly believe that advancing the goals of the Green Party is the best way to pursue important personal goals, such as reducing environmental pollution and waste, promoting and supporting community energy projects and achieving a sustainable energy supply. Importantly, it will also raise awareness of climate change and help to reverse the damage of this existential threat to the human species.”
Richard has been involved in a variety of political and local pressure groups over many years, including Extinction Rebellion and protest groups critical of the Hinkley nuclear power station.
He has done a lot of charitable work with displaced people in the Middle East, India, and in Europe, where he provided clinics and other medical and logistic support to refugee camps in Calais and in Greece. He subsequently used his experience on the camps to make documentary films about refugee issues; these were shown during various Stroud Film Festivals.
Locally, he has worked with Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS) running support groups for refugees living in hotels locally.
After qualifying as a doctor Richard studied at Goldsmiths College, London, gaining a degree in Fine Art. His work as an artist has included a high-profile project looking at the effects on local and worldwide maps of the sea level rise that is expected with future temperature increases. He says: “I really enjoy being able to combine my art skills with my campaigning work, to raise the awareness of climate issues.”
He is a Green Champion in local doctors’ practices, where he explores the environmental impact of general practice, particularly the effect of pharmaceutical choices.
Richard has been active in local Climate Action Networks and set up a group in Chalford to develop sustainable energy projects and find local sites for solar farms. An attempt to encourage private providers to install solar in bulk and offer lower prices to local businesses was unsuccessful, but Richard would like to explore the concept further as a possible model for development in the future.
“Pursuing goals like this with political support, of course, would be a lot easier and less risky personally,” he says. “Greens already lead Stroud District Council and could potentially form part of a leadership alliance on GCC after May; this kind of influence over local politics can only speed up implementation of Green policies, both national and local.”
Richard has a degree in Political Sciences from Cambridge University and a medical degree (MBBS) from the London Hospital, Whitechapel.