Music has been the constant thread running through my life. I grew up in Australia in a musical household—guitar-playing, harmony-singing parents—and as a child, I was surrounded by song. But it wasn’t until my teenage years that I truly found my own voice. Shy and uncertain, I began teaching myself guitar in my bedroom, playing folk and country songs from my parents’ music books—John Denver, Dolly Parton, Cat Stevens. That quiet exploration became a lifeline. I started writing my own songs, and in doing so, discovered not just a way to express myself, but a deep and lasting connection to music that has anchored me ever since.
In 2013, I trained in Music Workshop Leadership at Goldsmiths, University of London—a turning point that launched me into the world of community music. Since then, I’ve been leading participatory singing workshops and music-making sessions across a wide range of settings, from early years groups to older adults, festival fields to hospital wards. I’ve had the privilege of bringing music to over 30 care homes in Sussex, working with people living with dementia and their loved ones, and witnessing the profound ways that music can spark memory, create connection, and open doors to communication.
For many years, I also worked as a musician in healthcare with Wishing Well Music for Health, bringing live music onto children’s hospital wards. These sessions created moments of joy, creativity, and comfort for young patients and their families. This work deepened my belief in music as a powerful tool for fun, self-expression, and human connection.
Alongside this work, I hosted Brighton Folk—a monthly live music night—for nine years. I booked the acts, promoted the events, and welcomed a diverse array of performers and audiences into the space. It was a joyful and grounding experience that taught me a lot about the music industry, community-building, and the behind-the-scenes work that brings creative events to life.
Becoming a mother was a huge transition, and for a while, I felt pulled away from music. But discovering Singing Mamas offered a way back in—a reminder that singing in community could be both nourishing and powerful. In 2021, I trained as a Singing Mamas leader. The training is open to anyone passionate about the power of song to support wellbeing, and it reconnected me with my voice and my purpose in creating opportunities for people to sing together - to normalise singing! Since then, I’ve led singing groups for mothers and babies, and created spaces where song-sharing builds connection and community.
I now run Shoreham Women’s Singing Circle—a welcoming weekly group where we sing short, uplifting songs by ear. These are “medicine songs”: songs to carry us through the hard days, and amplify the good ones. The group often sings at local events and care homes, bringing the joy of shared song into the heart of the community. Beyond weekly sessions, I’ve led singing circles at festivals, in preschools, at corporate team-building events, and most recently at a psychotherapy conference exploring the theme of belonging.
In 2024, this community music path led me to begin training as an Occupational Therapist. I'm currently completing an MSc in Occupational Therapy at the University of Brighton. It was music—especially the co-occupation of singing—that drew me to this profession. Again and again, I’ve seen how music supports wellbeing, self-expression, communication and connection. My studies and my musical practice now inform and inspire each other, grounded in a belief in the power of shared occupation to nurture health, wellbeing and belonging.
