In 2002, Bidwell, who was previously a teacher, was nominated to serve in the National Assembly, and she became deputy speaker.
In April 2006, following an attempted coup d'etat in March, Speaker Sheriff Mustapha Dibba was arrested and removed from his position for alleged involvement, and Bidwell became speaker.
Her sister and father were politically active in Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction party.
After completing education, she served as a teacher at St. Joseph Convent, St. Augustine Junior Secondary School and Gambia College.
[2] Bidwell was nominated to serve in the National Assembly in 2002 by Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, and she went on to become the deputy speaker.