At just 20 years of age Heather Blurton is embarking on her own political career with one Conservative colleague already branding her a 'gem stone'.
The local elections in Stoke-on-Trent saw the Tories bag themselves 15 seats and go on to form another coalition with the City Independents.
One of those seats - the Eaton Park ward - went to Heather who received 488 votes helping her see off veteran councillor Terry Crowe (Labour) and independent candidate Jeanette Madison.
Her win represented one of eight Tory seats gained in 2019. Present at her victory, Newcastle Conservative councillor Mark Holland described her as a 'gem stone' of a candidate.
But who is this young Tory from Bucknall? And what drew her to the party?
Why the Tories?
"I was never really interested when I first got involved," admits Heather. "I developed my beliefs of the Tory party as they made it such a welcoming environment."
National political agendas barely mattered to Heather two years ago when she joined the Conservative Association. She felt they were 'one great big family' from the off and loved being around them.
She continued: "They can't do enough for you. We've got an amazing local group leader and deputy leader locally. They do everything they possibly can to help us locally and make sure the right things happen for us here in Stoke-on-Trent.
"I think generally politics isn't about the national picture. It's about what you can do locally. We were one of very few council groups that managed to show the elections were about local issues which is why we over doubled our numbers.
"Nationally, the picture may not be great, but there are people in Stoke-on-Trent who aren't necessarily Tories that will have voted for one of the 15 that we have managed to get elected. That may have been based off their track records and the history of who they are."
She added: "People want to be associated with people who care and who listen. Even if you aren't necessarily a Tory, if you've got a councillor who cares and who listens then what more do you want? They can't influence the bigger picture."
'Not for me to comment on'
Heather is family-orientated, a qualified bassoon and clarinet musician, and spends a lot of time with her cocker-spaniel dog, Heidi. She also idolises her grandmother, 'Nanny Pat', who helped raise her in Bucknall, where the whole family is from.
So does she feel the national politics of the Tory party represents her family and friends well?
"I think generally, the party itself takes onboard what people say, whether it acts on it is a different kettle of fish," said Heather; "That's not for me to comment on.
"I can't say I've got a political role model. I'm sort of me, myself and I. But I have got role models in life, my nan always taught me to achieve and succeed. I think I've achieved and I want to succeed."
Friends and personal life
Heather is also a leader in the Girl Guides and devotes some of her spare time to looking after a group of 15 girls every week.
"That's a hobby of mine," said Heather; "I recently achieved a leadership qualification. I tend to get up to a lot of things with my friends.
"Generally, my life has been about politics for the last two years."
Nationally young people are said to be shunning local politics due to rampant abuse online and in person. Coupled with low wages and long hours, it just doesn't appeal to most 20-somethings.
So what do her friends think of it?
"They think it's nuts," laughed Heather; "They have been very supportive and I think they'll continue to be. When I first told them I was going to be involved in politics they asked why I was getting into it.
"Now I say to them, 'I'm doing X, Y and Z'. They think it's amazing to have a friend who's hit so much press recently for being the youngest councillor in this authority, they're quite proud of me.
"Some people in the past said I'd never get there."
Future plans
Describing herself as 'Bucknall born and bred', the former St Peter's school pupil only turned 20 in April. However she feels she's in for the long-haul when it comes to fighting future elections.
She said: "In four years time, hopefully, I'll be fighting the campaign that I deserve, I suppose.
"Now that the people of Eaton Park and Bucknall have put their trust in me, they want a voice and I'm going to make sure that they've got that voice in the council chamber. Hopefully that will be replicated in four years time in the result we've got then.
"I'd never say never, but generally I've got no plans to leave. This is home. Stoke-on-Trent is home. I've lived the best parts of my life in Stoke-on-Trent and I have absolutely no reason to leave at the minute."
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