Joyce Mary Taylor Lancashire born Joyce Taylor is the daughter of an RAF Officer and spent her youth moving from one camp to another both in this country and overseas. Arriving in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1957, she has lived here ever since and definitely considers this her "home" town. Joyce married Nat in 1960 and has two sons and eight grandchildren, all living close by in the town. Career History Joyce trained as a hairdresser and beautician, but in later years has worked in the field of debt recovery and management, before working as Nat's secretary in his engineering business. Since "retiring" Joyce has worked for The Sue Ryder and the Motor Neurone Disease societies and also works as a part-time guide for a local tour company.

Liberal Democrat for Mount Pleasant since 2004

Community Interests
Councillor Taylor fought an extremely successful election in 2002 in the Mount Pleasant Ward following the untimely death of Cllr Val Adams, and fought two further elections in 2006 and 2010 when she once again "topped" the poll.

In 2008 she was appointed Mayor and at the same time, won a seat on the District Council.  2008/2009 proved to be a very busy period both for her and for Nat.

Joyce is the Lead Ward Member for Mount Pleasant and currently serves on the Council's Mayoral & Protocol Committee and the General Purposes Committee. She is also on the Town Hall (Maintenance) Working Party and Emergency Plan Group.
 
Joyce is the Council’s appointed representative to the Stratford branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau.  She is a governor of Bishopton Primary School and serves as a trustee of the Mayors Fund, a local charity set up to help Stratford's own residents.

Leisure Activities
The past saw Joyce competing at national championship level for the Amateur Swimming Association until she suffered heart damage following rheumatic fever.

She is well known locally as an extremely versatile singer and actress and in her younger days has been involved with many local operatic and drama societies.   More recently she turned her hand to directing, all the while successfully fighting breast cancer.  As Joyce says "I'm a real fighter, and now I hope to put some of that fighting spirit into my Council work."