I am Director of Studies and Tutor in Rural Ministry at the Sarum College Centre for Formation in Ministry in Salisbury. My active research interests include the sustainability of rural communities and rural churches, women's lives in rural areas, the common good, rural sociology, practical theology, and the importance of place.

In 2003 my Fellowship explored the contribution of rural churches to sustaining agricultural communities that were experiencing depopulation due to the decline of agricultural incomes.

I originally trained as an ecologist, and have a PhD in Agronomy. In 2003 I was working in rural community and church development, seeing strong links between the two. Rural areas of the United States and Canada had experienced similar issues. The findings strongly influenced subsequent roles enabling the good practice to be shared between statutory, voluntary and community sectors.

The Fellowship gave me the confidence to initiate large-scale projects and work in partnership with others to do so.