"Having grown up as a RAF Brat and keen scout, dreaming of being a pilot in the RAF, she concealed a secret for decades before accepting, in 1998, that she needed to transition.
Losing one job as a consequence, she joined Greater Manchester Probation in 1999. As the first openly trans employee nationally she provided awareness training for probation and prison staff and others and became the de facto lead on trans issues.
She persuaded the then Lesbian and Gay staff association to extend its membership criteria to include trans and spent several years as chair. She also helped to found a:gender — the UK pan-Civil Service trans support network and was made an honorary life member when she retired in 2015.
