I've been the new Diocesan Youth Officer (DYO) since 2008. My husband Michael (and our dog, Peggy) live in Kidderminster where I'm part of the St Mary's team.

As part of my role as DYO I am on the boards of both the Worcester Council for Voluntary Youth Services and the YMCA in Redditch.  I'm a governor at St Catherine's CE Primary in Franche and a member of the Wolverley CE High School Chaplaincy team.  I am also involved more widely in youth work nationally, being on the board of AMAZE (the professional association of Christian youth workers), and represent the Midlands region on the National Executive of the DYO's Network.  I am also a member of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry and regularly review books for the Journal of Youth and Theology.  I co-write Reel Confirmation, a forthcoming Church House publication, with fellow DYO, Phil Crieg.

Before I became the DYO I was a parish youth minister in High Wycombe, part of the Oxford Diocese. I worked for a church which was proud to have been consecrated in the eleventh century by one Bishop Wulfstan of Worcester and coming to the diocese felt a lot like coming home.

In my time as a youth minister I ran youth clubs and youth discussion groups at the church and prepared young people for confirmation as well as taking full part in the life and worship of the parish. As well as parish work, I helped co-ordinate ecumenical events for young people around the whole district of High Wycombe where I was particularly responsible for creative worship and publicity. As part of the Oxford diocesan network of youth workers, I helped with training volunteers and running the diocesan youth weekend residential and also led the annual Taizé pilgrimage. In High Wycombe I got involved as a governor at our local Church of England primary school and was part of the ecumenical chaplaincy team at Bucks New University.

Before I was a youth worker I taught Latin and Medieval History at Reading University and I am still surprised at how often Latin seems useful in a youthwork setting!

When I’m not working with young people, I spend my time painting in oil and acrylics, watching films and experimenting in the kitchen.

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