Thank you for taking the time to visit my website and to learn a little more about me!
I was born at the old Grimsby Maternity Hospital. My dad, a professional musician and chef, became a British citizen in the late 1960s and with my mum, who was in the local police force, set up Aldo's, the first Italian restaurant in the area. I spent much of my early years growing up in the flat above the restaurant and I remember how excited my parents were to get a place in Egon Ronay's Food Guide! My dad had performed as part of the house band at the Flamingo Club, Cleethorpes. The club is long gone now the site of the Trawlerman pub.
My parents divorced when I was 7 years old and I was brought up primarily by my mum - my dad died a few years later. As many people in that situation know, life in a single parent family can be financially tough. My mum worked in a range of jobs, including catering and selling insurance, later studying for a degree in social work and becoming a social worker. I think that was when the importance of hard work, self-sufficiency, determination and education really hit me and her example has greatly influenced my approach to life.
I went to Healing and Whitgift comprehensive schools and after studying for an HND in Design on the South Coast I started my career in television and video production at local production company AA Audio Visual and worked on the BBC children’s television programme Byker Grove. Freelance film work and teaching opportunities became available at Grimsby College and I also studied for my teaching degree. I became the head of Grimsby Institute’s East Coast Media and at its height we were teaching over 2,000 students a year, and employing 60 members of staff. I went on to run local TV station Channel 7 and helped launch Estuary TV - now run by That's TV.
I have gradually become more and more involved with public service and wanting to do whatever I can for this area. We have so many hard working and capable young people in Great Grimsby who leave after school and don't return because of a lack of opportunities here. I'm determined to change that. I started as a parish councillor for Laceby, then became a ward councillor for Scartho; I was honoured to be elected as the MP for Great Grimsby in December 2019. Very few MPs have the privilege of being able to become a member of parliament for the town they were born in.
Outside of politics I enjoy family time with my husband and son and, in my spare time, I enjoy travel and reading - a special interest is learning about the history of music halls and their stars.
I look forward to serving the people of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes. Please feel free to let me know when I can be of service.