Councillor Nazmin Chowdhury - Biography

Nazmin is of Bangladeshi heritage and was born in Ipswich in 1993, the day when Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park was released in cinemas, which co-incidentally is one of her favourite films.

Her husband, Kier Omar Williams, is the Mayor’s Consort, and is of Irish and Pakistani mixed heritage, with a keen interest in rugby and gym.

They both work at the National Pharmacy Association, a trade association (established in 1921) to support independent community pharmacies across the UK. Nazmin works in the legal team as a solicitor, whilst Kier works as a business development co-ordinator in the insurance team.

Nazmin was elected as a councillor for Bedwell in the local elections held in 2022. She became involved in community development and has collaborated with many organisations, contributing to events that promote diversity and inclusion.

Nazmin’s grandfather moved to the UK in the 1960s. Like many migrants at the time, he worked hard and worked in a factory, which specialised in agricultural machinery. Nazmin’s father was the first to go to university in the family. He obtained a degree in physics from the University of Surrey. Prior to Nazmin’s birth, her mother worked in social care and community service. For first and second generation British Bangladeshis at the time, education was seen as a way of gaining inner confidence, improving language skills and to have a better representation in society.

Nazmin moved to Stevenage in 2004, with her parents, two sisters, grandparents and uncle. She initially joined Collenswood School in Year 7, which closed down in 2006. Following its closure, Collenswood merged with the nearby Barnwell School, where Nazmin obtained her GCSEs in 2009. She later moved to Nobel School for her A-levels.

Nazmin went on to obtain a law degree from the University of Hertfordshire between 2011 and 2015. At the same time, she also became the secretary of the Bollywood Dance Society. She continues to enjoy Bollywood Zumba workouts at home. Nazmin also volunteered at Stevenage’s own radio station, SG1 Radio, where she hosted “Bollywood Beats with Naz”, a show that celebrated South Asian music and culture. Her radio show featured a mix of Bollywood classics, contemporary hits and thematic segments, such as tributes to film and 1990s countdowns.

Nazmin’s first ever job was in New Look (Stevenage town centre), where she worked as a Christmas temp. She then worked part-time for 3 years as a dispensing assistant at the Oval Pharmacy (also known as Mr Jaffer’s pharmacy), before she started working for various law firms across Hertfordshire.

The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on training contracts in the UK legal sector. The day Nazmin was due to commence her training contract (to qualify as a solicitor) was the day lockdown happened. Many law firms had to cancel, defer or alter their training programme due to uncertainty and disruption caused by the crisis. Thankfully for Nazmin, her training contract was deferred only by 9 months, and she was able to complete her training contract at Debenhams Ottaway (St Albans).

During the pandemic, Nazmin was without employment for several months. Whilst she was grateful that she still had a roof over her head, it made her realise how important it was to step up, give back and work in the community, particularly during a time of uncertainty. She then got involved with Stevenage World Forum, a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting and advocating ethnic communities in Stevenage. SWF operates from the Sherma Batson Centre (named after a remarkable former councillor and mayor), serving as a hub for community engagement and empowerment.

The theme for the mayoral year is “Growing Together: Building a Kinder Tomorrow”. Whether it is through service, support or leadership, we all look forward to a positive change, which begins with what we nurture today.

Nazmin will be supporting the following charities:

Young Carers’ Crew (YCC): A local and volunteer-run charity in Stevenage, that provides emotional support, friendship and respite to young carers aged 8-18 years old. These young individuals often take on significant responsibilities at home, who help look after a family member with a disability, illness, mental health condition or substance dependency.

The Rotary of Stevenage Grange: A dynamic and community focused organisation which contributes to both local and international causes through volunteering, fundraising and humanitarian projects. In Stevenage, the group actively engages in various community projects such as distributing Christmas parcels to families/individuals in need and supporting educational and leadership programs for young people.