Cllr Bridget Smith

Bridget was born in and spent her early years in Durham, but also lived in Sierra Leone in West Africa and eventually in Belfast during “The Troubles”. She left Ireland to take A levels in Bristol, subsequently reading psychology at Durham University. After graduating, she trained for the new profession of Hearing Therapist, eventually entering the health service as a practitioner at Manchester Royal Infirmary. After 2 years, she moved to the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge to undertake a 3-year DHSS-funded research project in communication techniques for adults with acquired deafness. At the culmination of this project, she remained at the University to study for a Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Education. Once qualified, Bridget taught for 3 years at her local Middle School, specialising in IT and music. She then became Head of Upper School at a large Cambridge Primary School.

Bridget took time out from work to look after her 3 sons born between 1990 and 1998. However, in 1996 her eldest son developed a serious medical condition which necessitated Bridget becoming a carer until he was 18. During this time she wrote and had published 2 books, did some part-time work as a music tutor and sports coach and established and ran a very successful community development charity. She is currently a carer for her elderly mother.

Whilst a carer for her son, Bridget became more interested in local politics and in campaigning for improvements to local community support provision. Her charity was responsible for the Parish Council acknowledging that the rapidly developing village needed to commit to a state of the art community facility. Bridget was then employed to project manage and to raise the required £2.3 million to deliver the scheme. At the same time, she succeeded at a by-election in becoming the local District Councillor. The success of the resultant award-winning Gamlingay Eco Hub project encouraged Bridget to work as a consultant in community development and fundraising. 

After serving in a wide range of roles as a District Councillor, Bridget became Liberal Democrat group leader in 2014.

Since becoming Leader of the Council in May 2018 she has also become a Board member of the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Combined Authority Board.