Matthew O'Callaghan

http://www.labour.org.uk/loughborough-matthew-ocallaghan

Loughborough, Matthew O'Callaghan

Matthew has spent much of his life in Leicestershire. He went to school in Ashby and has both lived and worked in Loughborough. Matthew served on Leicestershire County Council for 12 years, at one time as Leader of the Opposition at County Hall.

Matthew has had a varied career starting with three years in a Belgian University after his doctorate in chemistry. He was later appointed Professor of Animal Sciences at the University of Costa Rica. After a career change and a period at the London Business School, Matthew spent time at Keio University in Japan. It was following this he came back to Leicestershire to work in Fisons in Loughborough. Matthew still works as a business consultant. Past projects have been both in the UK and overseas including Japan and Brazil.

Matthew is known nationally for campaigning on regional foods and particularly those associated with Leicestershire; Stilton Cheese and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies. He organises a number of high profile national food events such as the British Pie Awards and the Artisan Cheese Fair. Matthew has appeared on numerous Radio and TV programmes including all four series of the Great British Bake Off.

Well before he was selected as a parliamentary candidate, Matthew was involved in several high profile campaigns in the Loughborough Constituency including the fight to save Rosebery School and against the ‘Catholic Tax’ on De Lisle School and St Winefride’s School in Shepshed. More recent campaigns have been against Charnwood Borough Council’s Core Strategy, flooding, ward closures at Loughborough Hospital and library closures.