Dove House community worker seeking election to Assembly

Ms. Bradley is 35 years-old and is the Manager of Dove House Advice Service in the Bogside. Her father is former Deputy Mayor of Derry and former Irish Independence Party Councillor, Liam Bradley.

A former pupil of Nazareth House Primary School, St. Cecilia’s College and an Ulster University graduate, Ms. Bradley said the reason she is standing is because she believes the people of Derry need a change.

“There’s no one answer for why I am standing for election but in my job with Dove House I come face to face with the not nice side of life all too often,” said Ms. Bradley.

“Why is it, people are born but they don’t all have the same opportunities? Not everyone receives the same level of support and investment.

“When I see this happening I pin it down to a failure in the system somewhere along the line - I believe people matter. I also believe the current MLAs have had their chance, they’ve had their five years in Stormont - people are telling me it is time for a change, I believe I can be that change,” said Ms. Bradley.

Ms. Bradley went on to describe how she saw the current state of the Stormont Assembly.

“Stormont is not making the positive impact on peoples’ lives that it should be making.

“The current MLAs are not ensuring that the children here enjoy the same opportunities as their children. The people they represent are not afforded the same opportunities as their relatives and this needs to change.

“I sincerely believe that there are not too many MLAs currently speaking up for the people I want to stand up for - these people are being left behind.

“I want to break the cycles of poverty that have held so many people in this city back. I want to give people in this city hope, I want to give them a future.”

A prominent welfare rights and equal marriage campaigner, Ms. Bradley, said she is looking forward to meeting potential voters over the coming months.

“I promise to involve the people of this city in what I will do. I want to serve them because, at present, instead of being served they are being dictated to.

“I want to change all that and I can’t wait to meet and talk to as many people as possible between now and May,” she said.