Green Party support has been very good in the past in the Forest of Dean, but a group meeting regularly has not come together until very recently. September 2004 saw a group of people come together who are eager to challenge the current way politics is done in the Forest.

 
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Steve Tweedie, who is now the Green party's candidate in the General Election and lives in Newent said: "We need a different approach to politics. The task cannot be left to the whims of those who are only interested in short term political advantage. Existing 'grey' parties are not only failing us but are pretending to find solutions. Tinkering with tax and interest rates and a dependence on 'the market' is only more of the same and inevitably results in an ever-worsening situation."

Steve Tweedie, who is a teacher and Governer at a local school said: "Only the Greens are prepared to confront the future with fresh ideas for solving the problems of our time, problems which are not only damaging our environment but which are increasingly having a negative impact on the quality of life of the majority of our citizens. Green policies make sense. For example to promote public health, we have policies to secure a healthy urban and rural environment, healthy work, healthy agriculture and food, healthy education, a healthy transport system and healthy local economic development."

Green support good

The Forest of Dean has in the past had over 15 per cent vote Green. There was very good support during the Foot and Mouth crisis when Green MEP Caroline Lucas visited the region. She went on to vice-chair an EU committee that condemned the governments approach to the disaster and called for vaccinations in future. Nationally, support for Green policies is increasing.

Steve Tweedie said: "We hope to build on this support and make a real impact on Forest politics. We are planning to offer people a real choice at the next election and are inviting anybody who is interested to come along and discuss what might be possible at one of our meetings. Each of us can make a difference."

More information about this can be obtained from Stephen Tweedie on 01531 820479 or John Marjoram on 01453 750962