"I've been a member of CSSC for 34 and a half years now, having joined on my first day in the Civil Service. My dad who also a civil servant, was a member of CSSC as it was then and told me I had to join so I did. For many years I took part in local and office events, mainly football and tennis although I played hockey for a local non-civil service team, but it was when I became secretary of Valuation Office Sports Club about 13 years ago that I really got involved. I went to my first CSSC conference at the Metropole Hotel at the NEC and never looked back. I'm also involved with RCSL sport too and have participated in events there at regional level since 1998. My claim to fame is winning a silver medal for the VOSSA mixed hockey team at the grand old age of 50 at the RCSL Winter Sports weekend. At CSSC regional level I have been a volunteer in London for 10 years, organising events for the Barbados Challenge as well as participating out in Barbados. I've assisted with recruitment campaigns and encouraged lots of people to take part and get involved. At CSSC national level I was "persuaded" 4 years ago to stand for the CSSC Management Board the following year by one of the vice-presidents. I was shocked to be elected at my first attempt and that was the first of three proud moments in CSSC. The second was to get a Certificate of Recognition in September 2009 and now the icing on the cake is the Merit Award. I am Chairman of the sub-group of the Sports and Leisure committee who administer the CSSC Sponsorship scheme; and I'm currently CSSC's Ladies National Golf Organiser and I'm kept rather busy in the sporting world of my own department, RCSL and CSSC.
Outside of work I'm Mum to a 22 year old who has just graduated (another proud moment) and I like paper crafting and am in the midst of 160 wedding invitations which I am making for a friend but I also make hand made greetings cards a hobby I find therapeutic after the hustle and bustle of life in the office."
