Well, as many of you know, I only started being The Chancellor last September (2009). So much has happened to me since I left my previous job which I had kinda had for 15 years. But what of my background?

Brought up in Wigan to a totally Liverpudlian heritage, I left school with eight GCSEs and started on my quest to study Psychology. After three years at College I came out with six A-levels (don't ask!) I left for Southampton to read Psychology at University. After graduating I started a PhD in Anthrozoology but logistics and red-tape meant I never managed to complete. Alongside studying for the PhD I got employed being a teacher (something I had never ever considered) at a place called Totton College in 1995. After being very part-time then sort of part-time then full-time then Head of Psychology I left in the Summer of 2009. I'd had enough of the constant bureaucracy and I reckoned that after five years developing FormChecker and it working it was time to move on.

I did enjoy my teaching career which culminated in creating the only Psychology Academy in the United Kingdom. Pity OFSTED couldn't give two hoots and how it made other departments jealous and horrid was unreal. Exit stage left after those experiences - but I do have some amazing memories from my staff and my funny & fantastic students!! One in particular was creating and running the only UK A-Level in UFO Studies and Alien Abduction which also led me to co-create and run the European Journal of UFO and Abduction Studies (won a National Award in Spain!) for many years. One day I might tell you about my hypnosis-abduction sessions I've had - very unreal and haunting.

During this time I got into writing (aim to write some racing books soon) and have had a fair few books published for the GCSE and A-Level Psychology market (soon to have two revision guides for GCSE Psychology published by Psychology Press so look out for them!!) and I have a regular column on Dogs Monthly highlighting recent research into dog behaviour. Alongside this I freelance for teaching resources for Psychology, tutor on an OU course, teach privately AS and GCSE Psychology and I mark lots and lots and lots of national and international examinations (you guessed it; Psychology!). ANd all of this takes second place to FormChecker and Fontwell work. They are my priority now.

My grandfather got me into racing (he was a daily follower) and I used to always get my mum to put a bet on the National for me when too young ;) - then I also learnt that my mum's cousin built the fences for Mrs Topham at Aintree and I was hooked.

In 2004 I embarked on FormChecker and have never looked back.....and there are many years left in me as I'm 'only' 37 years of age. I'll blog again soon about how this was developed next week.

Well I hope that has given you a bit of info about who I am - pretty varied experiences there but horse racing is the one constant in my life and it will always be.....