Val was educated at a convent in Surrey, and has led a fairly peripatetic life, but largely living in Surrey, London, Staffordshire and now Shropshire.  She also went to college in Surrey, where, amongst other things, she studied law. Val then went on to work in Marketing for two of the tobacco giants, Gallaher & Philip Morris, with a brief interlude as an air hostess.  On leaving London, she became an Account Director for an advertising agency, and worked as a Public Relations Manager for a newspaper. 

However, for the past seven years she has been the Practice Manager of a law firm in Shrewsbury, and recently joined Cooper Rollason as the head of their Crown Court Department.

Val has five assorted children and step-children, and although they are supposed to have left home, still raid her fridge on a regular basis.  Her interests (when she has time!) are reading, opera, anything to do with the sea, National Hunt Racing, horses, dogs and gardening.