I was born in Hitchin in 1981 and we lived in Pin Green until I was 7 years old and then we moved to the Old Town. I went to the Giles School and then to the Thomas Alleyne School. I started to play badminton with my Mum and Dad when I was 9 years old and it was their encouragement and support that really got me hooked as I progressed. In 2000 the Stevenage Sports Council awarded me a grant which helped with some of the costs of playing to a high standard and later I moved to Milton Keynes to play at the National Badminton Centre.