I am a Therapeutic Activity Coordinator on an acute adult psychiatric ward within the NHS. I have a BA Hons degree in English Literature and creative writing and for the past twelve years, I have ran a weekly writing group at Oldbury library; even during Covid, we met every week online. We have no funding as I have always said ‘as long as it is free for me to run, it will be free for others to join.’

I have written several books, one Novel called Innocent Spirits, two Novellas, The Ghost of Henry Schneiber and Black Shoes. A book of poetry called Cold is the Night. The Oldbury Writing Group wrote and published an anthology of poetry and short stories called, From Sunrise to Sunset; the title of the book was chosen to depict different aspects of WW2 and I have been published in various other anthologies, websites and won the odd writing competition.

Furthermore, I am a lyricist, having co-wrote several songs that have been, musically written, produced and performed by my fiancé, Niven Smith.

Also, I have the been the ghost writer of two autobiographies, I am not allowed to say whose books I have wrote but I can say they a they are both worlds apart from one another and two very interesting people. For these, I had no input in the publications, just the writing.

I have edited and published several novels and poetry books for other writers and I have taken my hand to copywriting for company websites.

At present, I am working on two different projects. First is a none-fiction book of various types of art therapy to help people to connect with nature. This comes from my other two passion, the natural world and helping people with connect with it as a form of therapy for both mental health and their wellbeing.

I am yet to figure out a tile for the book, but it is designed to show people that we do not have to be the best artist to stop and draw or paint animals or a natural green spaces. In this digital age where many people have a camera on their mobile phone, we don’t have to be qualified photographers to stop and take a picture of an animal or somewhere that is beautiful. This book is aimed at a wide age range of people who feel they want to connect with nature but don’t know where to start and for those who don’t know how to connect with nature or think they can’t because they don’t have a garden or don’t have the time.

I want to help people to see that no matter where we live, what we do for a living or how busy we are, we all have the time to connect with nature. We do it all the time even when we don’t realise it. From the air we breathe to he food that we choose it eat or buy. We, as human beings share this world with other animals and we connect with them everyday. The book that I am writing and self illustrating, is designed to show how we connect and what we can do to be more conscious of it.

The other project I have in the pipeline is a podcast that I will be co-hosting with my friend and my Oldbury Writing Group deputy leader, Heaher Barrett.

This podcast is focused on how creativity can help people with poor mental health. How writing, whether that be creative or otherwise can be a therapy, how drawing, painting, photography, music, poetry, and much more can be a part of your self care. In this sense, it is not just the case of taking a moment out for ourselves, saying it like that, I have heard... “and when do I get the time for myself...?” Caring about our wellbeing, is not about us, it is about having the energy to be able to be there for the ones we love without burning ourselves out. Saying it like that, it stops becoming the selfish act of ‘looking after ones own wellbeing' and starts becoming an essential part of your day as it shows you have to care for your own wellbeing in order to be there for the ones you love because ‘burnout’ is not helpful for anyone.