BIOGRAPHY AND CV

​I was born in Birmingham but my family moved to Malvern, Worcestershire, when I was a child. I attended Hanley Castle Grammar School. I always intended to study science, but an incompetent maths teacher put paid to that ambition, and I ended up taking arts ‘A’ levels. I subsequently spent much of my time in the academic world, helped by generous grants and bursaries. My qualifications include BA in Modern Languages and English (University of Wales, Bangor); MA in History of Art (Birmingham Institute of Art and Design); MLitt in English Literature and MPhil in Philosophical Logic (University of Birmingham); and MA in Ethics (with Distinction) and PhD in Philosophy (Cardiff University). Professional qualifications include Associateship of the Library Association; Diploma in Publishing (Oxford Polytechnic); the Further Education Teacher's Certificate; and Associateship of the Higher Education Academy.

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I worked in the library/information profession for about 12 years – at Worcestershire County Libraries; S. Martins College, Lancaster; Oxford Polytechnic; and as Librarian of Worcester and District Health Authority. I also have experience in accountancy, publishing, bookselling and property management.

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Most importantly, I have taught in adult/further/higher education throughout my life: including publishing studies at Oxford Polytechnic, graphic design at Hereford College of Art, and photography at Malvern Arts Workshop. 

 

​I was an Associate Lecturer in Philosophy at Cardiff University between 2003 and 2010: chiefly working as a Year One Tutor but also teaching 2nd/3rd year modules on Kant and Hume.

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Recent teaching includes adult education classes in association with Malvern Festival of Ideas: 'Mind and Morals’, at Malvern Cube (2018) and 'Mind and Metaphysics’ at Malvern Library (2019). Also several papers given at the University of Wales, Trinity St David (Lampeter): see Philosophy page.

 

​I have a variety of interests, including psychology, politics, environmental issues and live theatre. I have eclectic tastes in literature, ranging from the nineteenth-century classics (Dickens, Hardy) to Proust and Kafka. I have more specialised interests in children's literature, supernatural fantasy and SF. I am fairly competent in French and German, read Latin (with a dictionary) and have a smattering of Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Norwegian.