I was born in Sunderland and currently live in West Yorkshire, having retired in 2023 after a long career in Sales and Marketing, which involved extensive travel. I studied German at Warwick University in the early 1970s, followed by a Post Graduate Certificate of Education at the London University Institute of Education and a short period as a teacher in Inner London. I now volunteer as a guide at a National Trust Property, help out backstage at the local theatre, work as an invigilator during exam periods and give regular talks to groups such as Rotary.