An Access Officer for Chelmsford Borough Council and External Auditor since July 2002. I work within Building Control Services, my job is to audit property and help with guidance in making positive changes, in order to help organisations have considerations towards DDA 1995. I set up Access Unlimited in 2002 having graduated college.

A little bit of history.

I became disabled in December 2000 after contracting Necrotising Fasciitis (a flesh eating bug) after a short illness, which resulted in losing my right leg above the knee. www.nnff.org

Being involved in the building industry for 30 years (I had my own roofing company prior to my illness), it felt natural to work with access to buildings, now having to deal with issues of my own.

I studied at SEEVIC College during 2001, gaining 2 Diplomas; this led to the Access Auditors course in 2002 run from Chelmsford College. I graduated the course with NCFE 3 and stage one of N.R.A.C. (National Register of Access Consultants). www.nrac.org.uk

I was accredited to stage two in January 2004 as one of 4 nationally accredited auditors in Essex; I am 147 on the national list, and have been a member of the Access Association since 2002.

Joined Essex Coalition of Disabled People; www.ecdp.org.uk in 2002 and started my training as a Disability Equality Trainer. I worked as a volunteer for 18 months as an Independent Visitor.

Studied under Dr Andy Stevens in 2006 at Anglia Ruskin University on the Disability Equality Practitioners Post Graduate Degree course, graduating in March 2008.

I currently chair the Chelmsford Area Access Group; www.beehive.totalessex.co.uk.

I am involved with many other groups, some of which are; the Essex Participation Network Forum, Essex Access Forum and the Essex Police Access Forum.

I have also written for several professional journals, including "Access by Design" and the "Access Journal". I have contributed consultation on Approved Document M 2004, British 8300 2009 and Buildings Bulletin 77.