Karen is married to Richard, a geologist. They have two children, Elizabeth and Christopher, who were both educated locally at St Augustine's high School.
Karen is company Secretary of RKL Geological Services Ltd and also a trainer for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which means she has travelled to many countries mainly in Eastern Europe. Most recently Karen has visited both Moldova and Montenegro. She has also been working with a party in Bosnia and helped them with their General Election campaign in September. Karen has also visited Slovakia, Serbia, Mozambique.
Karen has a keen interest in Education and is Chairman of Governors at Vaynor First School here in Redditch. She believes that children only get one chance at a good education and no matter where they live in the country they deserve the very best that we can give them. Karen was educated in Rugby where her father was a Headteacher.
Karen has been a councillor both here in Redditch and in Wales where she lived for 17 years. She was group leader for the Conservatives on Wrexham Borough Council and the youngest County Councillor on Clwyd County Council.
Karen's vision for Redditch:
The biggest single issue that is facing Redditch at the moment has to be the threat that is hanging over our hospital the Alex. Karen is a passionate believer in an NHS that is free at the point of delivery. She knows just how much money has gone into the Health Service but knows that we cannot go on the way we are.
The Alexandra hospital is vital to many people's daily lives and for many it is not possible to travel to Worcester for treatment. We need to ensure that services are available here locally in Redditch. We have a great hospital staffed with many dedicated staff and we are grateful to them. What we need to do id let them get on with the brilliant job that they do and stop trying to either reorganise them at every turn or place unnecessary targets on them.
Karen is a big believer in Fairer funding for Education and will continue to campaign for our kids here to receive more money. She has already this year invited Maria Miller, Shadow Education Minister, and Theresa May, Shadow Leader of the house here to Redditch to see for themselves the unfairness of under funding.
Both Karen's children have been educated in the state system as was Karen and she believes that it should provide a good education for every child.
Karen welcomes the new surgery at Inkberrow and was delighted to have a tour before it officially opened its doors in November. It is a wonderful facility for everyone and Doctor Paton and his team should be congratulated for providing such a marvellous surgery.
Karen was delighted in October to visit one of Redditch's flagships in industry Mettis Aerospace. She invited Dr Liam Fox MP Shadow Defence Secretary to visit Redditch and they met a team of dedicated workers at a thriving Redditch company. They were both very impressed by the quality of the products and the global market that Mettis work in.
