Helen Godwin | |
|---|---|
 Godwin in 2025 | |
| Mayor of the West of England | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Norris |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Labour |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | www |
Helen Godwin is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Mayor of the West of England since 2025.
Helen Godwin grew up in Begbrook,near Stapleton,Bristol, [1] in what she states was a working class family, [2] and went to Cotham School and Filton College. [1] [3] From 1994 to 1998 she took a degree in European Studies and Spanish at Liverpool John Moores University. [4]
In her 20s,Godwin was a New Labour supporter and Labour blogger,although she left the Labour party for four years in protest at British involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq,which she called an illegal war. [2] [5]
Godwin (listed as Helen Godwin Teige) was elected to Bristol City Council,representing Southmead ward,in 2016. [6] She was re-elected in 2021, [7] and later served as cabinet member for women,young people and families under Marvin Rees. [8] She announced her resignation as councillor in December 2021 due to work commitments from a new job. [9]
In 2020,she ran to be the Labour candidate for the 2021 West of England mayoral election,but was defeated in a local party membership ballot by the former Labour MP for Wansdyke,Dan Norris. [10]
On 21 November 2024,Godwin was named as the Labour candidate for the 2025 West of England mayoral election. [11] Her candidacy was endorsed by the Member of Parliament for Bristol North West,Darren Jones MP, [12] and by the former Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees and his two deputies. [13] Godwin was elected Mayor of the West of England on 1 May 2025 with 25.0% of the vote. [14]
Godwin stated that she would take a collaborative approach in the West of England Combined Authority (WECA),and that her three main priorities were: [15]
WECA was allocated £752 million by the government in the 2025 Spending Review,largely to be spent on transport over the spending review four year capital spending period. [16] [17]
In July 2025,Godwin authorised the recruitment of a "Head of Mass Transit",to lead on the creation of a proposal for a mass transit system,such as a tram,light rail or underground system which might extend to Bristol Airport. Bristol is the only major city in a mayoral combined authority without such a system. [18] [19]
In August 2021,Godwin started working for professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in their consulting business in the government and health sectors. [8] [9]
Earlier in her working career,she worked for recruitment company Hays as business manager in the legal interims and paralegals division, [20] and later as director and co-owner with her spouse of Redland Search,a recruitment company in Bristol. [21]
Godwin moved back to Bristol from Tooting,London circa 2012. [22] She and her spouse have three children. [23] [21] She regularly watches Bristol Rovers matches. [22]