Popular local politician and former Mayor chosen as Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 10th Jul 2008

Harrish Bisnauthsing

Grantham & Stamford Liberal Democrats have selected former Stamford Town Mayor, Councillor Harrish Bisnauthsing, as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency.

Biography Cnllr Harrish Bisnauthsing Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Grantham and Stamford Constituency.

Education and Work

Born in Mauritius, Harrish came to England in 1965 to study Electronic and Marine Radar Systems at Bristol University. During this period he was offered a position with the RAF as a Radar and Computer Engineer which he accepted. After completing twelve years of service in this country and Germany, he joined a national computer company and worked as a Field Service Engineer. During this time he furthered his qualifications in Telecommunications & Computers with the Open University. He now works as a computer hardware consultant and engineer.

Harrish is also a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, having gained Certificates in Psychology and Counselling Practice. From 2001 to date, he has worked for Peterborough Primary Care Trust on a part time basis (evenings) specialising in anxiety and panic attack counselling. Due to work and council commitments, he reduced his work load in this field having formerly been part of the Family Counselling Team for the British Red Cross society (2003-2006) and a voluntary counsellor for Trauma Counselling for Victim support (2001-2008).

Political History

Harrish was the first councillor of Asian origin elected to Stamford Town Council (1987) and was an extremely popular Mayor from 2002 to 2003. He has consistently achieved the highest number of votes in local elections. At Town Council level he has, in the past, served as Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee and is currently Chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee. In 2003 he was elected to South Kesteven District Council where he is a member of the Community Committee & Policy Development Group He has been the Stamford Town Council representative on the Chamber of Trade since 2007.

During his period of office as Mayor of Stamford, Harrish was instrumental in setting up the Stamford Community Group which was a forum for local pressure and community groups to get together for debate, discussion and 'conflict' resolution. He has been involved in, and has led many, local campaigns over the past twenty years.

He is currently Vice Chairman of the Grantham and Stamford LibDem executive and has held a variety of posts on both the Constituency committee and Stamford branch committee over the years.

Current Voluntary work

His ongoing voluntary work includes sourcing, collecting and organising shipments of Disability Equipment to the Mauritius Disability Link Group. He continues to support the Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre company as a volunteer and has been a Trustee Director since 2001. He also maintains an interest in both Iskon Leicester having been Chairman of Events (Ratha Yatra) from 2001 to 2008 and Iskon Birmingham where he was Chairman & Organiser (Ratha Yatra) from 2001 to 2006.

Family

Harrish is married to Pam, an adult education teacher and examiner, and they have four children and four grandchildren. They have lived in Stamford for thirty six years. Harrish is proud of the fact that his links with his adopted country began when his father served in the British Army with the Africa Corps serving at Tobruk and El Alamein during World War 2.