I am a survivor of the alcohol services and a user of the mental and neurological health services. I am a researcher and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Plymouth, with a special interest in alternative approaches to the alcohol use of disadvantaged groups, particularly lesbian women.

I want to find ways to change public thinking about the use of substances, and the kind of treatment and support currently on offer.

I belong to a variety of service user organisations such as Shaping Our Lives, the national service user organisation, and Women’s Independent Alcohol Support. This group developed out of my service user led research, and ran for several years.