Gill Thomas
Gill was elected as Parish and District Councillor for Minchinhampton in 2024. She was already active in the local community and saw standing for election as a way to get more involved with politics at a grass-roots level.
Since then she has thrown herself into the councillor role, which has included being appointed as Stroud District Council’s first-ever Member Champion for Litter and Clean Environment. This has involved Gill in a multitude of litter clearance and education projects, including setting up the town’s first Litter Hub scheme and fundraising to provide primary schools with litter-picking sticks.
Gill says: “Being a District Councillor has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’ve particularly enjoyed making a meaningful difference in our communities.”
She is now standing for election to Gloucestershire County Council as a way of building on this work, expanding her reach and influence to create an even greater impact.
“If elected I will work to increase funding for schools, arts and culture,” Gill says. “I’ll continue to help create cleaner, greener communities by tackling anti-social behaviour and litter, and I’ll get involved in supporting communities on issues such as social housing and green travel.”
Gill is a professional photographer and web designer with a creative arts background. She has a particular interest in the environment and has worked with schools on environmental education projects, and is a director of local environmental charity Transition Stroud.
Gill sees herself as more community driven than politically driven. “Unlike some councillors, I don’t have a political background; I just want to help make a difference. I’m a project kind of person and like to see action happening at a grass-roots level. While being a county councillor would be less grass-roots than parish or district councils, I believe there will be more opportunities to make a difference.
“More Greens on GCC will mean a happier, healthier and greener Stroud, where residents will actually see positive action in return for their votes, and I’d love to be part of that enlarged Green group.”
Describing herself as “very active and energetic”, Gill regularly runs and cycles long distances and took part in last year’s Stroud Half Marathon, running the 13-mile course while picking up litter.
Gill lives with her partner, three children, a donkey, pig, chickens and ducks on a smallholding where Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the Cotswolds National Landscape carry out conservation projects.