Your Councillors

Over the course of my career, I became a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, and of the Expert Witness Institute. I served on several RICS national panels—including minerals policy, compulsory purchase and compensation, and taxation (chairing the latter)—often representing the profession in discussions with government and other bodies.

As an equity partner and business manager in both large and small surveying firms, I advised commercial, private, and public sector clients on issues ranging from commercial property valuation and lease negotiation to planning appeals, compulsory purchase objections, compensation claims, and property taxation. I’ve also written a number of technical publications on valuation, taxation and planning.

Since retiring in 2015, I’ve continued to support causes I care about —serving as a trustee for a Cornish homelessness charity, treasurer of a parish church, and director of two Cornish public interest companies, one focused on renewable energy and the other on counselling services. My wife and I moved to St Agnes in 2023, having spent over 20 years living near Trispen, and we’ve enjoyed re-engaging with village life and community.

Whether it’s walking the local footpaths, tending the garden, or singing in choirs, I value this community deeply. Joining the Parish Council offers a way to contribute directly—especially on planning and property matters—during the years ahead.

My career began with an apprenticeship as an electrician working in the Westend theatres this quickly led to the world of film and TV where I advanced through the ranks to become lead lighting electrician. My love of photography enhanced my portfolio and subsequently led to opportunities in filming and producing on many documentaries in incredible locations with fascinating people from across the world.

Having retired and hung up my travelling boots I returned to St Agnes on a permanent basis in 2015. Since that time having worked on a part time basis as an electrician, mainly in the community and served as Parish and District Councillor. Having now fully retired I was delighted to be successful in 2025 elections as I have once again decided to dedicate time to serve the community that I have called home for most of my life. I hope that my life experiences will contribute to the collaborative decision making of the Council for the benefit of the St Agnes Parish community.

St Agnes parish is a vibrant community, with traditions to be maintained, and innovations to be made to cultivate the future of our wonderful supportive community, which I am proud to be a part of. I believe being a member of the Parish Council is the best way to help deliver the needs and services that our parishioners; and the visitors which support our businesses, deserve.

My professional background has been varied, I trained as nurse and midwife in London, and back home a district nurse and health visitor. I worked in Ghana for 2 years in a very rural isolated area, focussing on child and maternal health alongside managing an outpost health clinic with all the tropical diseases and accidents that entailed (snake bites and rabies were common occurrences!). On my return I worked in the community health service in Cornwall, eventually becoming a children’s public health specialist. I moved into the Local Authority to lead the partnership work tasked with delivering the Every Child Matters agenda. I continued to work across education, health and children’s and adult social care until I decided on a career change. I moved into Higher Education, where I am now an Associate Professor in Arts and Health focusing on research, particularly the lived experience of all ages, magnifying the voice of those most silenced, place-based inequalities, societal inequity, adolescent mental health, addressing the social determinants of health, and neurodiversity. My 33 years at the frontline keep me grounded in the reality of our world and the complexities we face.

My interests within my role as Parish Councillor include all aspects of starting well, living well, and aging well. Embedded in these interests are addressing issues related to health and wellbeing across the ages, local housing, education and employment opportunities, sustainability and environmental resilience, climate change, and access and infrastructure.  Being able to represent the voice of the local Mount Hawke community is crucial to the challenges we face both on a practical day to day level and when we are thinking about all our futures. The community of Mount Hawke is one that deserves to be heard and to be proud of – I hope I can do justice to this important democratic role.

I have 3 cocker spaniels; one is a registered therapy dog & we attend Portreath Primary School each week to listen to children read. I can often be seen walking my dogs along the beach.

I also have a Retired Police Horse, a 32 year old pony that I’ve owned for 26 years & I take care of my granddaughter’s pony on a daily basis. We frequently hack out in the area & ensuring we can continue to do this safely with the many considerate drivers we have in our Parish is very important to me.

I look forward to representing the people in my village & hope to be able to help them with any concerns they may have, in order to improve the area for the people that live here.