I am a freelance journalist and copywriter with a wealth of experience.

I have worked as a daily newspaper reporter, including stints as health and education correspondents, and as a journalist at BBC Radio Leeds.

Before doing my formal journalism training I ran a jazz record company's press office and was chief press officer for the Birmingham International Jazz Festival and Ronnie Scott's Birmingham.

I am fully trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and won a national distinction award for my performance in the NCTJ National Certificate examinations.

As well as writing features and news articles, I offer a press release and copywriting service.

When my two older children were little I trained to be a primary school teacher and worked in schools for several years. I still teach a class of eight to ten-year-olds for a few hours a week.

I enjoy writing about anything and everything - and love the challenge of writing a great piece about a completely unfamiliar topic - but am particularly keen on writing about health, education, family, children and women's issues.

I live in a village above the Pennine market town of Hebden Bridge with my husband, three children, two stepchildren (some of the time), Doris the dog and Thomas the cat.