My Journey

The West of Scotland isn’t just where I live — it’s where I found hope, purpose, and my voice.

I arrived in Paisley at 18 with little more than a backpack, turning up at a volunteers door. I had received a place on a youth work apprenticeship that gave me a roof over my head and a sense of belonging. I’d been homeless for two years before that, bouncing between hostels and temporary shelters. But that opportunity, rooted in the values of support and second chances, was life-changing and it’s at the heart of why I’m standing today.

From Paisley, I began working in youth projects across the region, in Shortroods and Ferguslie Park, two of the most deprived areas in Renfrewshire. I didn’t just work in these communities, I became part of them. I sat with young people who felt let down by the system, helped families navigate services, and organised community activities with almost no resources. It was hard, honest work, and I loved it.

Over the years, my journey has taken me across the West: running children’s clubs in caravan parks in Ayrshire, supporting youth groups in Port Glasgow and Barrhead, helping young people in Alexandria and Dumbarton, and volunteering in Clydebank. Each community taught me something new, about resilience, about injustice, and about the difference a little belief can make.

When I moved into business, I brought those lessons with me. Working in sales, training, and media, including a stint at Radio Clyde, these gave me a new perspective on the region’s economy. I saw the pressures on small businesses, the challenges of local enterprise, and the struggle to compete in a system often tilted in favour of the few.

Throughout all of this, I never left community work behind. I continued mentoring young people. I set up Christmas Day community dinners in Renfrewshire and Yoker for those who would otherwise be alone. I became a foster carer, welcoming vulnerable children into our home. And I got involved in politics, not because I saw it as a career, but because I saw could influence and discuss ways to make society better.

The West of Scotland has shaped who I am. It’s where I fell in love, where I built a family, and where I’ve spent the last 20 years fighting for fairness and progress.

This region deserves strong, authentic representation, someone who knows its streets, its people, and its challenges. That’s what I offer.