I am a freelance music educator, specialising in choral work and singing with all ages. I am Artistic Director of the Singing Community of Choirs and I'm passionate about the power of music through singing and its effect on learning.

In 2019 I was awarded my Churchill Fellowship. This enabled me to travel to Finland, the USA and Canada for two months, researching the positive impacts high-quality music education and singing has on young people. I was able to study the Finnish education system and its approach to music, as well as top-quality US and Canadian children's and youth choirs. I am now beginning to implement this research into all areas of this work, though this has been somewhat delayed due to the pandemic.

As a result of my travels, I am developing the choral programme at SC Choirs, not just within our regular choirs which cover all ages, but also within the community, supporting schools with music education. This is crucial work – even more so since the pandemic. Schools are under much pressure to 'catch up' and also have limited budgets. Music must be a part of the recovery plan.

This Fellowship changed my life: not just musically, but personally too.