Although banking and politics may not always be a good mix, I began my career with HSBC.

After five years I decided that teaching was to be my future direction and spent over 25 years in Surrey, seventeen as a headteacher.

During 1990 to 1998 I was a Councillor in Mole Valley for the Liberal Democrats, representing Dorking South. It took four attempts, one of which I lost by only one vote! One of the highlights of those years was to chair the group overseeing the refurbishment of Dorking Halls.

In 1998 I travelled to Turkey, where I spent nine years as the head of the British Embassy School. An invitation then came to open the first British School in Azerbaijan, and I worked on this project for six years.

Returning to the UK I was recycled and re-elected back onto Mole Valley Council in 2014, and have been a Councillor for Dorking North Ward since then. When the Liberal Democrats won control of the Council, I was appointed the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, with responsibility for things as varied as our Leisure Centres and allotments.

It has been a great pleasure to support the redevelopment of many children's playgrounds as well as the varied voluntary activities, such as Walks for Health, which are supported by the Council. But my main task is working for my residents, attempting to solve their issues both big and small.