Paul Doherty is the SDLP Assembly candidate for West Belfast. He is the father of two children and lives in the Turf Lodge area.

He spent 14 years working in the Royal Hospital for the Belfast Trust as a Clinical Trial Manager where he worked to support partnerships between academic clinicians and health service researchers by providing the infrastructure to facilitate the delivery of high-quality clinical research funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), research councils and charities.

Paul founded the Foodstock Community Response Organisation which has supported people living in poverty within communities in West Belfast. The project sarted off as a music festival which raised awareness of poverty in communities and helped support local foodbanks.

At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Foodstock became a foodbank which was located in Paul’s garage and aimed to support the many people who were falling through the gaps of availing of proper support during the pandemic. Soon, the community rallied round the initiative and over 300 people and families were availing of support on a weekly basis, neccesiting the move to a new premises on the Andersonstown Road. 

Foodstock as an organisation now supports people and families with food supplies and school uniforms, while also providing the tools for them to grow their own vegetables and provide more healthy and balanced meals in their diet.

Paul is also a keen singer/songwriter who performs with local band The Vals and has toured and played alongside with the likes of Paul Weller and Mumford and Sons.

Contact: [email protected]