In the by-election on 23rd July 2009, local people elected Chloe Smith to be the new Conservative MP for Norwich North.

Before the election, Chloe was the candidate in Norwich North for 18 months.  In that time, she met hundreds of local people and gained a reputation for being a hardworking, energetic local campaigner for people in Norwich and the surrounding communities - for instance, campaigning against the closure of the NHS walk-in centre at Thorpe St. Andrew, fighting for justice following the Greyhound Opening homes scandal, working to improve the quality of council housing, and pushing the councils to address road problems.

She's a Norfolk girl through and through - she grew up in Norfolk and is a governor of her old comprehensive school in Swaffham. Chloe formerly worked for a leading international firm which advises private businesses, government departments and public bodies.

She has been an active volunteer since she was a youngster. When she was sixteen, Chloe got a Youth Forum up and running for Norfolk schoolchildren so they could tell the Government directly about life in Norfolk.

Recently, Chloe set up a mentoring scheme to help get more women into politics. She has also been a member of the TimeTogether scheme which helps refugees in the UK find their feet and contribute to British life.

Chloe studied English Literature at the University of York and still loves a good book. She is a keen cyclist and badminton player, and plays at a club in the city.

Chloe lives locally and wants to hear from you. Please see the contact page for how to get in touch.

• Read more about Chloe in an extended interview here.

Chloe has been an active volunteer and fundraiser since her youth, helping charities local and national.

As a sporty young woman – her hobbies include cycling and badminton – Chloe has found some pretty active ways to raise money for good causes.

In May, she took part in the 5 km ‘Race for Life’ at the Norfolk Showground for Cancer Research UK, along with 12,000 other women.

‘Everyone did an amazing job,’ says Chloe. ‘Some were running in memory of loved ones, some as part of their own battles, and some just wanted to show their support for this great charity. There was a wonderful atmosphere there.’

Chloe also ran the Sport Relief Mile in Norwich last year – in less favourable conditions. ‘It was the best of British weather,’ she grins: ‘grey and rainy. But even that couldn’t put a dampener on things.’

Chloe’s biggest challenge so far came in 2006, when she took part in an expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa.

‘I went with a group of 40 colleagues to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation and Leukaemia Research,’ she explains. ‘We were fundraising and training for months beforehand.’

The climb was a gruelling one – Chloe and her fellow trekkers were on the mountain for six days, walking all day and staying in mountain huts overnight. Altitude sickness made the ascent a tough one, with low levels of oxygen on the mountain. A number of the party had to turn back as the trek went on. Chloe herself made it to Kibo hut – 4,700m above sea level.

‘We set out from the hut at midnight to make the final push for the summit,’ says Chloe, ‘but I was really struggling. You can’t simply turn around and head back alone. Nor can you hold the rest of the party back by struggling, so a couple of us had to be led back down.

‘I was really disappointed to get so near but so far – and I must say it was rather galling to see Chris Moyles and Gary Barlow manage it when they climbed for Comic Relief earlier this year! But it was an incredible experience, I really pushed myself to the limits, and together we managed to raise £128,000 for two great charities.’

Chloe’s most recent charitable exploit has been much closer to home – cycling 21 miles around the constituency she hopes to represent in Parliament, raising money for a local charity which helps disabled adults. She was joined by a number of friends – including 10 year-old Henry, who earned a Scout badge at the same time.

Will Chloe continue this charitable work if she’s successful in her bid to become our next MP? ‘Of course,’ she says, quick as a flash. ‘I’m determined to be a strong local champion if I’m elected to Parliament – and my charity activities help me to stay fit too!’