I have been working as a full time freelance writer since September 2007. Projects that I have been involved with include a web project for a major skincare brand, freelance magazine features for:

Slim at Home (health)
Soul & Spirit alternative)
Just as Beautiful (health & beauty)

Other projects include:

Provided complete website copy for www.doubledatefirst.com
Provided website features for 'Serenity Beauty'
A one-off health publication for AWARE magazine: "Breast Cancer – What every woman should know."
Ongoing regular features for Just as Beautiful Magazine
Features for US Government website (ongoing since January 2008)
Redesign of Relentlessly Positive website – September 2007
Providing news service cover for Workplace Law Group - October to December 2007
Providing monthly Magazine features for Workplace Law Magazine – ongoing since September 2007
DVD Magazine for WHSmith ‘The Marilyn Monroe Story’ August 2007

The Government Office for the East of England is part of the Department for Communities and Local Government, which covers regional and urban policy, local government, planning, housing and regeneration. I joined the organisation as part of the corporate group, and specialised in communications and events, becoming Publicity & Communications Coordinator in 2004.


In January 2006 I project managed and produced the Regional East of England Public Health Group’s external newsletter, in the absence of their communications officer. I commissioned the content, arranged the production, sourced the images, designed the layout and delivered the newsletter virtually single-handed.

My main day-to-day responsibilities are for the internal newsletter, of which I am editor, contributing to and commissioning for corporate publications, newsletters and event management. In 2006 the role was expanded to include responsibility for publishing to the external website, researching news stories and items of interest and keeping the content fresh.

I also spent six months working for the Learning Support team at GO East, in order to get some experience of a particular area of policy work. I took on responsibility for producing the Learning Support Newsletter and produced two issues, as well as volunteering to become Publicity Officer for the gym committee, and increasing membership by around 20% by introducing a web-based fitness & well being newsletter, publicising the gym facility across the office, and devising office initiatives such as a pedometer challenge and competitions to win personal training sessions.

I was a print manager for Flag, a design and communications agency that specialises in corporate CSR reporting and graduate recruitment. My main duties were to liase with printers to obtain the best quotes for projects; carry out pre-press checks; attend meetings with clients and assist with ad hoc projects.

One major project I was involved with was a blue chip graduate recruitment brochure that entailed coordinating several students in Edinburgh, organising photographers, arranging venues and props, and talking Edinburgh airport security into letting us photograph on the runway.

I was Features Editor for Spa Plus, Nails Plus and Salon Plus, three B2B magazines aimed at the beauty industry.

In addition to commissioning, writing and editing features, I attended national trade events, interviewed industry figures, and worked with the editors to plan innovative and entertaining features for all three magazines. After being made redundant, I carried on writing for Spa and Salon Plus on a freelance basis.

I was Advice Officer for both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Trading Standards Departments.

I managed my own caseload and gave advice and assistance to enquirers on their consumer rights; intervened in disputes; set up Advice Surgery arrangements with local Citizens Advice Bureaux; attended events on behalf of the service including going out on the Trading Standards Advice Trailer and talking to people across the county about their legal rights.

I took on a communications role in the last two years, training people and giving 'talks' on the work of the department. I also produced regular 'Trading Standards Bulletins' for consumers and wrote leaflets for consumers on different aspects of law.