I am a poverty and inequality commissioner and one of the UK's leading experts on school food. Formerly a community nurse and civil servant, I have worked in strategic government roles in Scotland and England. For the last decade I have been a key adviser to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on School Food, chairing its Holiday Hunger Task Group until 2016.

My 2014 Fellowship to nine US states was to research Innovation in Community Projects that address School Holiday Child Hunger. 'Holiday hunger' is a symptom of poverty in the UK and is something I felt was not being addressed in policy or legislation. My Fellowship gave me insights into demonstrable international policy and practice to help make the case for change across all four UK regions. It is difficult to quantify the results of my Fellowship as much of my campaigning work has been done as an individual. I am pleased to say that change has now come at UK policy level along with millions in funding.

I have since become a committee member for the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, a member of the Scottish Government's Social Renewal Advisory Board on Covid-19 recovery, and have joined Scotland's Poverty and Inequality Commission.