Maureen Hicks

She was a former member of the Heart of England Tourist Board executive, and director of Stratford-upon-Avon Motor Museum from 1976 to 1982.

In the 1987 general election, Hicks stood as the Conservative candidate for the Wolverhampton North East constituency.

Once a Member of Parliament, Hicks made her maiden speech on 1 December 1987, during a House of Commons debate on an Education Reform Bill.

The polls were pointing towards a national swing to the Labour Party and her chances of retaining the seat were never rated highly.

Ken Purchase, who was running again for Labour, enjoyed an increase of 7.6% in his share of the vote, mostly at the expense of the Liberal Democrats' candidate.

The local Conservative association quickly moved to select a new candidate to replace him for the 1997 general election.

Hicks held a number of directorships, including for Earl Mountbatten Hospice in Newport, Isle of Wight.