Creative writing has always been a passion of mine, I often wrote stories and poems as a child. I graduated with a 2:1 degree in English and Creative Studies in 2001, where I became particularly interested in writing poetry. I was awarded a place in the Forward Press Top 100 Poets for two consecutive years in 2001 and 2002 with my poems Mind Under Construction and Fighting Back respectively. I went on to graduate with a Masters in Creative Writing and Personal Development in 2005, a degree which taught me how creative writing can have therapeutic benefits for myself and others. Although I learnt many useful techniques in this degree, I didn't feel that I had the life experience or confidence to use it to help others. However in June 2010 our daughter, Amy, was stillborn when we were just days away from welcoming her into the world. The experience has given me hope of working alongside Sands, to help other bereaved families in the future.