‘It’s all about putting the community first and making Harold Hill a better place to live in.’

Meet Monica… she is a local lady running as an independent councillor for Gooshays ward Harold Hill, in the local elections this May. So what is it that makes Monica the well loved and respected member of the community that she is? The Havering Daily had the chance to chat with Monica Puncheon about her plans if she gets elected this spring.

“I really am a community person, I love living in this area and have lived in Harold Wood for the last ten years. My children go to school here and I work here so we are very much part of this community which is what is so important for us.

“I care about people and what is going on around us, I spend a lot of time talking with my neighbours and people in the area listening to what their problems are and what they would like to see changed. We need people to care about each other in the community and to all work together.

“One of the reasons why I want to be a councillor is that I really want to make a difference in our community. I know people want to feel safer in the area. I worry about my children too when they walk home from school.

“Many people have expressed their feelings of wanting to move away from the area because of problems. I want to start to address these problems so that people don’t want to move. They shouldn’t be forced to move from the area they come from because of problems. If we can all work together as a community then we can slowly start to rebuild it the way we need it to be.”

Many of you many know Monica from her recent go fund me page where she collected funds for flowers for the tragic death of Mrs Josephine Smith, the Harold Wood pensioner who died in a house fire last November. Monica organised the candle lit vigil where hundreds came to pay their respects and lay flowers near Mrs Smith’s house. She is also currently organising a tree planting ceremony in memory of the pensioner.

Monica really is a community led lady who enjoys helping others.

“I know there are many issues here such as housing. Many are living in small flats and need to be rehoused. One of the key aspects myself and my colleagues Grant and Isabelle (the other two candidates running in the Gooshays ward) want to address is the need for housing and putting Harold Hill people first here in their own community.”

Monica is a lover of our wildlife and is very keen to make sure our green spaces are protected.

“We are lucky to have so much beautiful wildlife here on our doorstep and so many incredible parks here in Havering. It is important that we protect our green spaces as much as we can.”

As you can see Monica Puncheon is very much a local lady with the community spirit in her heart. During the recent Covid lock downs many of you well remember how Monica and her son Joshua provided the Havering Daily with regular recipes and spent a lot of time delivering meals to many different members of the community.

“It is all about putting the community first and that is exactly what my self and my colleagues want to do to help make Harold Hill a better place to live in,” finished Monica.