Throughout my career, I have always worked with children and young people, mainly as a paediatric nurse and latterly as a family support worker. I have met so many young people who never had the desire to, or given the encouragement or support to learn to read, and my personal goal is to allow one young person to read one page of my book, and then want to read on. I have just self published my first collection of stories called THE ZONE,  each short story has a different character  with a different story line but the one thing they all have in common is that attend A Youth Drama Group named THE ZONE. There they can relax, be themselves, be supported, make new friends and learn new creative skills like music, drama and writing.

 I started writing four years ago with an online writing course Children’s Academy of Writers and am an active member of SCWBI (Society of Children’s Writers &Illustrators British Isles) and have attended two brilliant ARVON Courses, Writing for Children. My tutors were Martyn Bedford, Celia Rees, then last year Melvin Burgess and Malorie Blackman.

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Volunteering

For two years I have had the privilege of volunteering with an amazing creative arts group called First Floor run by West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds, where I have witnessed first hand the positive effect that such a group like this can have on the lives and future of a young person.

Last year I volunteered to organise a writing Competition about Homelessness for the charity SASH   (Safe & Sound Housing) York which helps young homeless people to find temporary lodgings and provides support to help them back on track, which was judged by  author Ross Raisin.

The last few weeks have been very busy for me as I have been involved in two drama books using my book. The first was a very exciting and innovative project at a HM establishment using drama and reading to create a bond and better communication between a small group of prisoners and their teenage children, and each participant was given a copy of my book THE ZONE at the end of the five morning workshop.

The second project was performing a cabaret with a group of people with Mental Health issues, again using scenes from my book and me performing as one of the characters. I was thrilled that that my book was used in this way as I always intended it for use with Drama Groups and schools. 
 
Following my workshop At HMP LEEDS,I started to write a new collection of short stories aimed at teenagers who have a family member in prison. With the  advice from the prison development
officer each story has a different situation; grooming, control, mental health, young offender, PTSD, bullying. The aim to warn these vulnerable young people of the dangers that may befall them.
In November 2018, I attended a brilliant creative writing retreat for YA at TY NEWDD, Wales. Tutored by Lucy Christopher and Marcus Sedgewick. they really inspired me to continue writing after a quiet year. As a result I have re-edited all my  9 prison  short stories.

I remain an active member of NE SCWBI, volunteer weekly with a teenage group(HACKS) at my local library, and run some school workshops .I also have joined STORY MAKERS COMPANY HUB at LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY  to encourage creativity  in school children through the arts.