Who am I? -I am a devoted fan of dance. Ballet was the passion of my life but along with the dreams of so many other aspiring ballerinas, ordinariness got in the way. A late return to classes rekindled my love for dance and led me into a world that I thought had passed me by. I became involved with an amateur ballet company in 2002, joined the committee later that year and also performed with them from 2002 until 2018.

My retirement from full time employment in 2010 coincided with my election as Chairman when I devoted myself to the promotion and running of the company. I successfully transferred my extensive business skills and experience into its organisation, bringing it to the attention of a far wider audience and boosting ticket sales by proactive marketing. Giving talks about the complexities of staging major works brought a new dimension of understanding and enthusiasm to audiences from around Essex and beyond.