I’m a linguist by profession, but have been studying bryophytes as a hobby for about eight years. I’ve taken part in several courses and am one of the two regional bryophyte recorders for Cumbria. I am a founder member of the Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte Group and organise regular field meetings with the dual purpose of recording bryophytes around Cumbria and North Lancashire and encouraging beginners with an interest in bryophytes. I have run moss walks for people with no previous experience and I organised the Spring Meeting of the British Bryological Society in the central Lakes in 2003. In a previous life I trained and worked as a modern languages teacher.