Martin Horwood MP
Martin went to Oxford University to read Modern History in 1981, and was elected President of the Oxford Student Liberal Society and then Chair of the party's national student wing, the Union of Liberal Students. After graduating and leaving student politics, Martin worked first in a London advertising agency and then in the voluntary sector. In 1990 he moved to Oxford to work for Oxfam and was elected as a local district and parish councillor there.
Martin fought the 1992 general election in Oxford East while Nigel Jones won Cheltenham for the Lib Dems. In 1995 he moved to India for a year, continuing his work for Oxfam. He returned to the UK becoming the first Director of Fundraising at the Alzheimer's Society, the leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their careers. While living in London, Martin stood again for Parliament in the Tory stronghold covering the City of London and Westminster. Martin returned home to Cheltenham in 2001 to work for local business Target Direct which works mainly with charity clients, including the British Heart Foundation, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Cheltenham's own National Star College. He became their Head of Consultancy.
After Nigel Jones unexpectedly announced that he was standing down due to ill health, following two heart attacks, Martin was chosen by local party members to be the new Lib Dem candidate. He was quickly endorsed by Nigel and by the other contestants for the candidacy. Since being elected Martin has used his new position to campaign vigorously on the key local issues that he cares about.
