Helena Eileen Bowlby Dollimore (born 1994)[2][3] is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hastings and Rye since the 2024 general election.[1]

Helena Dollimore
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Hastings and Rye
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded bySally-Ann Hart
Majority8,653 (18.8%) [1]
Personal details
Born
Helena Eileen Bowlby Dollimore

1994
Brighton, England
Political partyLabour Co-op
EducationHeathfield Community College
Alma materSt Hilda’s College, Oxford

Education and early career

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From East Sussex, Dollimore attended Heathfield Community College. At age 17, she gave a speech at the 2011 Labour Party Conference. She attended St Hilda's College, Oxford, and during her time as a student she was the chair of the Oxford University Labour Club.[4]

After university, Dollimore worked for Save the Children, working in environments from refugee camps in Bangladesh to the civil war in Yemen.[4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dollimore trained as a vaccinator with the St John Ambulance, volunteering at a pharmacy in Hastings.[4]

Dollimore also served as an Army Reservist.[5]

Political career

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Dollimore was a councillor for the St Helier ward in the London Borough of Merton between 2021 and 2024.[6] In 2024, after the general election was called, she resigned her council seat in order to stand as the Labour parliamentary candidate for the Hastings and Rye constituency, and was subsequently elected as the MP for the seat.[7][8][9]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Election for the constituency of Hastings and Rye on 4 July 2024". UK Parliament. House of Commons Library. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  2. ^ McLaughlin, Paul (6 November 2024). "Privilege to Serve". Hastings Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  3. ^ "TUSDG holds "Meet SDGs" High-End Forum No. 1 and International Advisory Committee Appointment Ceremony". SDG. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c McLaughlin, Paul (18 October 2023). "Helena Dollimore: A force to be Reckoned With". Hastings Independent Press. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  5. ^ https://www.forcesnews.com/services/tri-service/veterans-and-reservists-among-mps-winning-seat-general-election
  6. ^ Galliven, Harrison (1 June 2024). "Two councillors resign to pursue general election ambitions". South London Community Matters. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Tara (15 September 2022). "Morden councillor slammed for campaigning to be MP 65 miles away from ward". Wimbledon Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Hastings and Rye - General election results 2024". BBC News.
  9. ^ Oxburgh, Huw (5 July 2024). "Hastings and Rye won by Labour's Helena Dollimore". The Argus. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
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