I’m 53 I was born a Londoner and have lived in London for 30 years. I’ve been in Kennington for the last 18 and I’m an active member of the Lambeth Branch of WEP.

I got involved in WEP through Stella Duffy as part of her volunteer outreach team helping to set up the branches. Having been a lifelong feminist I have found in the last few years that I am increasingly speaking out on issues such as women’s health inequalities, diversity in arts and media, and ‘everyday sexism’ – the launch of WEP couldn’t come too soon for me!

I’m proud of London and like to think that we lead the way as one of the biggest and best cities in the world. But it could be a better place for women to live and as a London Assembly member I could make a difference. I think whoever gets elected as Mayor should aspire to make London the safest big city in the world in which to be a woman.

Tackling violence and abuse in a proactive and joined up way is the starting point; whether that is girls in gangs, human trafficking, domestic violence or sexual assault. But it could also be a better city for women to have children in, to set up business and to work in, to get an education in.

If we can get it right in London, other cities and countries will follow and we can become a model that improves people’s lives everywhere.