Member of Parliament for Redditch
Midlands born and bred, Rachel went to the local comprehensive school and is a working Mum with four grown up children and a rescue dog, Phoebe. She's a Midlands girl born and bred, and has spent most of her life in the Solihull and Birmingham area. She will be moving as soon as possible to make her family home in Redditch. She currently lives in Dorridge, a 10 minute drive from Redditch, and she knows Redditch well from visiting over the years for work, and to bring her cub pack kayaking on the Arrow Valley Lake.
Rachel has a background in business, after she married her husband David, they set up a Birmingham based publishing company, specialising in IT and software content. Over the years she faced the challenges and setbacks that many small business owners experience, but the business eventually flourished and now employs people from all over the Midlands area including Redditch people, as well as having an international presence.
She's a technology entrepreneur who also recently co-founded an HR software business, providing a platform for SMEs to use the latest technology tools to run their businesses more efficiently. The business was selected to participate in the Entrepreneurial Spark programme in Birmingham, and received seed funding from Sprint Pirates, a leading technology accelerator in London.
Rachel has always worked in her local community since at age 16 she began helping with summer camps for children from inner city Birmingham held at Alvechurch. Over the years she has been a voluntary worker and fundraiser for the National Childbirth Trust, a Sunday School Teacher, as well as spending 15 years as a Beaver, Cub, Scout Leader and Assistant District Commissioner for Cubs. She recently completed a term as an elected Parent Governor at a Birmingham school, with responsibility for the curriculum area. She helped set up the LoveBrum charity supporting grassroots volunteer-led charities that don't receive government funding.
She started her charity, Skilled and Ready, because she has always been passionate about helping young people get the best start in life. She believes that a great education is the key to fulfilling potential and she said, "Skilled and Ready fits a real need. Having run a business I've seen the skills gap in practise. We link the skills needed by local employers to the curriculum. We help to open young people's eyes to the opportunities here for them and also to support them making the right choices. I'm delighted that schools across the country have recently put hundreds of learners through the Skilled and Ready program which will help them get a good job after they leave school"
"As the MP for Redditch, I will be a fighter for every community in the constituency, working tirelessly to deliver service and commitment for the people of Redditch. I will use everything I've learned in my business career, and my political career as an active campaigner on the issues that matter. I'll work to deliver a Brexit that's right for us, securing our future, a strong economy, and the investment needed into our public services in this growing town and beautiful county".