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‘Mary Page’s grassroots campaign mirrors the struggles of our region’
As voters across the West of England prepare to head to the polls, one message rings loud and clear from the Green Party’s mayoral candidate Mary Page, “money is too tight to mention”, and that’s something many of us can relate to.
In a race where every vote counts, Mary’s campaign stands out not just because of her policies, but because of how those policies are rooted in her lived values. This isn’t a campaign bankrolled by millionaires or buoyed by corporate endorsements.
It’s being run on a shoestring focused only on the essentials, powered by small donations and a team of heartfelt grassroots volunteers taking on crucial roles in their free time.
is needed now More than ever
Even printing 50,000 leaflets cost £1,450. This shows the uphill struggle of reaching all 700,000 voters in the region, where £20,300 would be needed to print a leaflet for every voter.
In a way, Mary’s campaign is a reflection of what many residents in our region are going through: making do with limited resources and stretching them further than they should, while still showing up, doing the work, and trying to make things better.
Living on the edge
Across Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, people are under pressure.
Housing costs are soaring in Bristol where the average renter now spends 42 per cent of their income on rent, the highest figure outside London.
It’s not just about money; it’s about what money can’t buy anymore: decent living conditions, long-term security or the ability to stay close to your community and loved ones.
Many families are forced to compromise on essentials, trading space for location, skipping meals to pay bills or battling landlords over damp and disrepair.
These aren’t distant statistics. They’re day-to-day realities for thousands.
In this context, the idea of a mayor who genuinely understands economic struggle is more than appealing. It feels necessary.
Local solutions for local issues
Mary Page doesn’t claim to have all the answers. But what she offers is a clear approach to listen, collaborate and enable.
She backs community organising, bringing different voices around the table to co-create solutions.
From rural villages facing transport isolation to inner-city renters grappling with unaffordable housing, she understands that one-size-fits-all policies rarely work.
Her commitment to community-led housing is one example. So is her support for local Green councillors who are already delivering change, like Sam Ross in Bath & North East Somerset, the first Green ever elected in North East Somerset, standing up for often-overlooked village communities.
Using power with purpose
But this campaign isn’t just about grassroots values. It’s about smart strategy too.
Mary has laid out her bold plans to use the West of England Combined Authority’s spending power in ways that actually benefit local people.
Her proposed Green Growth West Impact Fund aims to invest £10m of public money to unlock up to £90m in matched private investment.
That money would go towards future jobs, diversifying our supply chain with more small and medium enterprises whilst bridging the finance gap that stops many smaller local initiatives from taking off.
This isn’t growth for growth’s sake. It’s about inclusive, community-rooted economic development that is international to reaching left behind communities and address structural inequalities.
It’s the kind of common sense that lifts people up instead of leaving them behind.
As a female candidate in a field often dominated by men, Mary also brings something else that’s urgently needed: representation.
Her leadership style reflects her values of collaboration and focus on equity. As she puts it:
“No one can change the fate of the region single-handedly, but it’s my promise to you that together we can.”
It’s a vision of leadership that looks less like command and control, and more like community and connection.
Don’t sit this one out!
With the polls tightening, and recent YouGov data showing Mary Page in a competitive position, this election could be a turning point.
But potential only matters if it turns into action.
As the South Gloucestershire Greens have said: “A Green victory will only happen if we get out, campaign for Mary, and vote for Mary.”
If you want a mayor who understands what it means to stretch every penny and who will stretch every tool of the regional government to serve the public this is your chance.
Vote Mary Page on Thursday. Because we deserve leadership that reflects our reality and believes in our power to be part of the change.
This is an opinion piece by Sibusiso Tshabalala, a Green Party councillor for Central ward
Main photo: Green Party
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