In her early years at school she struggled to learn to read and write and had to have extra help. When she eventually came to teaching, she realised that the strategies that she had devised to help her learn in her early years and to remember things were actually sound, valuable teaching approaches that she was able to incorporate into her lessons. Who would have known that those years of struggle would bear such valuable fruit? She believes that it is her early struggles  that made her an empathetic teacher, enabling her to relate to people who have struggled with their own learning and made her so committed to enabling adults to achieve their greatest potential.

She pays tribute to her A level English teacher, Russell Buley, who instilled in his students a love of language and the written word that has inspired her writing. Over the course of her working life she has had the immense privilege and good fortune to meet and work with some truly inspirational, developmental, generous and encouraging people.

When she is not writing Lesley loves walking, especially in the beautiful forests around where she lives. In the past year she has learned to ride, paddleboard and plays table tennis regularly. A keen traveller she has recently visited Iceland, Norway and Borneo, exploring new horizons which she hopes to incorporate into future writings. She also loves to visit her children and has recently become a very proud grandmother.