"Inspirational" Will Clark selected as Lib Dem council candidate

Grasmere resident Will Clark has been selected by the Lib Dems to stand in May as their county council candidate in the Lakes Division, covering Ambleside and Grasmere. Local MP Tim Farron has welcomed the decision, describing Will's story as "inspirational".

Will is 32 and lives in Grasmere, where he grew up and went to the Lakes school. Will left the area to go to University, before working at ski resorts in France and New Zealand. He then returned to the UK and worked in sales before starting as a trainee manager at the Rothay Garden Hotel in Grasmere in 2012.

Will sustained a high level spinal injury in July 2012 whilst taking part in a charity triathlon, but this hadn't stopped him being an active member of the local community. Will volunteers regularly in a variety of roles, including for Grasmere school, The Great North Air Ambulance, The Calvert Trust Keswick and The Back Up Trust. Through the Back Up Trust, Will has mentored those newly spinally injured, helped integrate children with spinal injuries into school and spoken about spinal injury at an international conference in Vienna!

Will also still loves outdoor adventure and has recently returned from skiing in Sweden, he gets out on the Lakeland fells on his Boma bike and regularly sails on Windermere. Will says his injury made him realise the value and strength of local community support.

Will is now standing for election this May to be the Lib Dem councillor in the Lakes Division.

Will said: "This is the area where I grew up and have lived for many years. I am really looking forward to the challenge and reward that representing my community with the Lib Dems will bring."

Tim said: "Will is a real inspiration, and I am delighted he has been selected as the Lib Dem candidate to represent Ambleside and Grasmere on the County Council. Will is very well-known and is a key part of the local community. I know he will make an excellent councillor."