Biography
Born in Rushden, Northants Anita lived in Malta from 1946 to 1948. She later attended Alfred St. Junior School, Rushden and County High School, Wellingborough.
After training as a P.E. and English teacher, she continued her career in Wellington, New Zealand (1964-67); Kingston, Jamaica (1970-75); and Maryland, USA (1977-79) where she first started to write poetry.
Settling in Chelmsford she taught in primary schools where many of her pupils were successful in national poetry competitions and their work was displayed in the Children's Poetry Library at the Royal Festival Hall, London.
Now retired from teaching she performs and takes writing workshops on Poetry Days and during Book Weeks (Key Stages 1 and 2). Anita played hockey, tennis and squash when her bones were younger and now tries to keep active by swimming, walking, Pilates classes, dancing - especially reggae (although not quite so much now!) and travelling the world. She also dabbles with watercolour painting.
She gives talks to local societies (WI, Rotary club, Over 50s clubs, etc.) about everyday life in the 1940s to 1960s and gives readings from her book "The Street to Mango Moon" - a collection of memories from her early life of street parties (V.E. Day and Queen Elizabeth II's coronation day), street games, corner shops, greengrocers, fishmongers, seaside outings, fairgrounds, and Saturday morning pictures. Also included are her Jamaican poems and those about other countries.
Her "Travel Talks" with slides are very popular.
Anita still lives in Chelmsford with her husband, Michael. Her two children are both Geography teachers in Secondary schools. Lauren, Anna, Daniel and Amber are Michael and Anita's shared grandchildren.
She is a member of the Society of Women's Writers and Journalists (SWWJ).