I established InspirEd with the desire to help a wide range of people to engage with museums and heritage sites and enable cultural organisations to develop their learning and engagement creatively.  

I am particularly passionate about creating better access to heritage for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds through exciting community learning opportunities using historic collections and places. 

My background in museum education and adult learning has enabled me to successfully manage a wide range of community based projects and initiatives to help people to engage with the past.  

I am based on the Isle of Wight where I work in partnership with many of the Island's museums and heritage sites and other heritage professionals. 

Since 2012 much of my work has focused on working with older people through reminiscence and oral history. I am very interested in how cultural opportunities can impact positively on personal health and wellbeing and empowering people by giving them the opportunity to share their memories and life stories. 

I have expertise in:

• Developing community learning programmes and resources for museums and heritage sites

• Audience development and community engagement 

• Intergenerational community history projects

• Reminiscence practice

• Oral history

• Adult and community learning specialising with working with adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

• Training and mentoring for museum and heritage staff and volunteers with a focus on community engagement, outreach, reminiscence and oral history 

• Fundraising and grant applications for heritage projects with a community engagement, learning, access,  outreach and oral history focus

• Managing engagement projects 

• Evaluating and measuring impact of engagement projects