Durham Business Club is a membership club of businesses in the County Durham area and also a training organisation offering Modern Apprenticeships in Accountancy, Business Administration, Hairdressing and Beauty. We provide support and training for SME owner/managers and staff and are currently involved with a project developing entrepreneurship in schoolchildren.

I act as mentor for participants on DBS Management Development Programmes, addressing strategic issues within their organisations through study and work-based assignments. I also assist with course presentation and marking of assignments.

I run Business Break as an independent business adviser working with individuals, SMEs and business support organisations to develop the start up and growth of successful businesses in the North East and beyond.

I work as a self-employed business adviser to help people with disabilities to start their own businesses. This covers pre-start, ideas evaluation, skills analysis, preparation of business plans and cash flow forecasts, through to start up and growth. I have undergone disability awareness training and have also been trained in delivering adult literacy and numeracy tuition.

Set up and developed own business in partnership with my husband, an optometrist.
Responsible for up to two practices and 8 staff.
Responsible for all aspects of business management, including finance, human resource management, purchasing, administration, sales and marketing.
Introduced a computerised accounting and management information system and a customised patient database.

Acting as liaison between members, officers and leaders of the business support community. Organising a programme of Continuous Professional Development for members.

Worked with start-ups and existing SMEs to identify their skills, needs and growth potential.
Provided advice on all aspects of small business management, including finance and grants, premises and equipment, employment and training, IT and operations.
Liaised with external organisations to help meet the needs of the businesses.
Helped clients to prepare business plans, grant applications and financial forecasts.
Worked with Durham Business School, businesses and educational establishments on projects developing entrepreneurship in students.

Specialised in science but also covered other subjects.
Organised lesson plans to manage both scheduled and unscheduled needs.

Conducted research into the formation and properties of blast furnace coke leading to and following publication of an MSc thesis.
Had several papers published in scientific journals.