I became a freelance writer and editor in April 2000, having worked in publishing, journalism and PR since 1988.

As a freelancer, I have focussed on energy efficiency and construction-related topics, but I have also used my core qualifications and other in-house experience to help a number of corporate clients and publishers. Please click here for details of recent projects. I have recently become a visiting tutor for the Publishing Training Centre’s flagship course ‘Copy Editing Skills’.


My experience in the construction sector began in 1996, when I joined the Building Research Establishment (BRE) as Managing Editor for the government’s Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme, which is now under the Carbon Trust’s banner.

This programme promotes energy efficiency in buildings via publications, events and support. I worked with the research teams who were developing publications, advising on content and design from the readers’ viewpoint, and I managed a small team of technical editors. I also worked with the BRE team who wrote the government’s Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), and on publications relating to the Building Regulations (Part L), sustainable construction, and Local Agenda 21.

Later, my role at BRE expanded, and I spent six months on secondment to BRE’s “knowledge” team - helping to create an internet-based newsletter for construction professionals called Insight. This newsletter covered the full range of BRE’s expertise, from concrete technologies to the indoor environment.


My publishing career began in 1988, just three days after graduation, when I joined Chapman & Hall as Publisher’s Editor in the science journals department. Here, I worked on the Journal of Materials Science, International Journal of Mining and Geological Engineering, and Planning Perspectives.

I then gained writing and editing experience in the business-to-business sector, as Assistant Editor of Electronic Product Design magazine, before moving into the not-for-profit sector as Communications Officer for the AEEU, then one of the largest trade unions in the manufacturing sector. At the AEEU I was responsible for writing, editing and layout of the union’s members’ newspaper (circulation 700,000), other newsletters and the annual report, plus all the associated publishing tasks. I also launched and promoted a range of corporate merchandise, handled daily media enquiries and provided PR support during major conferences.

In 1994 I joined the Central Office of Information, working in a unit that provided promotional support for a wide range of British exporters - from civil engineering companies to fashion designers and fabric manufacturers. This involved working closely with a number of trade associations.


I graduated from Keele University in 1988 with a BA (Joint Hons) in Physics and Music.

In 1999 I was awarded a Diploma in Science Communication from Birkbeck College, University of London.

I have also completed a number of vocational training courses (please contact me for further details). For example, in 2006 I completed the SfEP course ‘On-screen editing - part 2’ and three five-day courses on website design and management run by the University of Luton’s Web Working for Women project.

In 2009 I was awarded a City & Guilds qualification to enable me to teach in further education colleges (PTLLS), and attended the SfEP course "Stand and deliver — training for trainers".

I am an Advanced Member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) and a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) – freelance branch .