Alice Balatoni

I was born at Nelson Hospital (now Nelson Health Centre) on Kingston Road, when a maternity unit was operational there. My early years and adolescence were spent in Merton Park and I attended Merton Park Primary School. Even then I recall how local residents fought against the Council to protect the Conservation Area from developers.

After completing my education, I spent my early adulthood working and traveling. Eventually, I returned to Merton Park to raise my son, who has complex special needs. This experience significantly altered the course of my life and confronted me with an often inadequate and unpredictable SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) framework. I hold strong feelings regarding our Social Care system, which is currently in a state of crisis, as well as the repercussions of the climate crisis. I am concerned about the kind of planet that will remain for my son and others like him after I am gone. I will always advocate for and support the residents of Merton Park.