I have lived in Nailsea since 1991 after spending time in Manchester, Ashby de la Zouche and ten years in South Africa. I have four grown children and eight grandchildren dotted around the Uk.

Many years ago I trained as a teacher and I’ve always worked in the education sector. For almost twenty years I worked as an education officer for Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, from 1992 until 2011.

My specialist subjects were the Victorians and the Georgians, though my everyday work was varied and fascinating. At the museum I undertook a variety of roles: working with young people, adults and the elderly, in website development, writing and producing programs for the Port Cities website, designing accessible information for gallery redisplays, design and development for the under fives gallery, called ‘Curiosity’ and designing and delivering work programs, teaching materials and training.

We also worked in school, with young people of all ages, delivering learning packages/group learning/training, including researching artefacts, maps, photos and copies of historic documents.

Our role as education officers frequently involved helping teachers cover thought provoking social issues such as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the role of women etc.

Since ‘retiring’ from the museum I have become a student again, studying NLP and Life Coaching as well as learning the clarinet. Three years ago I volunteered for a month in Africa then set up two charities in Zambia. I am a volunteer with the NT and at the Curzon Cinema, Clevedon.

I am passionate about lifelong learning, and believe we never have to give up looking for new experiences and new opportunities for learning.

My main role now is as a freelance educationalist, exploring the world and delivering presentations and ‘after dinner talks’ around the West Country.