Joyce Gould, Baroness Gould of Potternewton

Joyce Brenda Gould, Baroness Gould of Potternewton (born 29 October 1932) is a British pharmacist, trade unionist and politician.

The daughter of Sydney and Fanny Manson, she was educated at the Roundhay High School for Girls and the Bradford Technical College in pharmacy. Gould worked then as pharmaceutical dispenser from 1952 until 1965, when she was organiser of the Pioneer Women. Between 1966 and 1969, she was a clerical worker. For the Labour Party, Gould was assistant regional organiser from 1969 to 1975, assistant national agent and chief women's officer from 1975 to 1985 and eventually director of organisation from 1985 to 1993. She was member of the Jenkins Commission between 1997 and 1998.

A member of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) and General Municipal Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union (GMB), she was a committee member of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination from 1965 to 1975 and member of the management committee of the Grand Theatre in Leeds from 1968 to 1972. Gould was executive member of the Joint Committee Against Racism in 1970 and then secretary of the Yorkshire National Council for Civil Liberties between 1970 and 1975 as well as of the National Joint Committee of Working Women between 1975 and 1985.

Between 1970 and 1975, she was executive member of the Women's National Commission and of the Commission on Conduct of Referendums between 1990 and 1994. In 1971, she was a member of the Department of Employment Women's Advisory Committee and from 1997 to 1998 of the Independent Commission on Electoral System. Also a member of the Home Office Committee on Electoral Matters,

Current Positions

She is a member of the Fawcett Society and Howard League, a council member of the Constitution Unit and vice chair and executive member of the Hansard Society. She is president of the Family Planning Association, of Epilepsy Action as well as president of the chairs of the WS Chapman Society. For Speakability and the Electoral Reform Society, she is also vice-president.

Gould is chair and trustee of the Mary MacArthur Holiday Trust and director and trustee of the Yigol Allon Trust. She is also a Fellow of the Industry and Parliament Trust. She is further patron of the Brighton Women's Centre [http://www.womenscentre.org.uk/] and of Forward (Foundation for Women's Health Research & Development) [http://www.forwarduk.org.uk/about/team] .

Chair of the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health since 2003.

In 2007, she was appointed to the Board of the Women's National Commission, shortly after that she was made interim Chair to replace Margaret Prosser, who resigned to become Deputy-Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. In March 2008, she was appointed as Permanent Chair.

Honours and Qualifications

In 1997, she received an Honorary Degree from the University of Bradford and in 2006, she was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Family Planning and Reproductive Health. On 6 October 1993, she was created a life peer with the title Baroness Gould of Potternewton, of Leeds in the County of West Yorkshire.

Personal life

In 1952, she married Kevin Gould. They have a daughter and are now divorced.

References

*cite web | url= http://www.dodonline.co.uk/engine.asp?lev1=4&lev2=38&menu=81&biog=y&id=27064| title= DodOnline| accessdate= 2007-04-14
*cite web | url= http://www.equalities.gov.uk/publications/WNC_press_notice_March_20081.pdf| title= Press Release announcing appointment as Chair of Women's National Commission