I'm much closer to the end of my career, than the beginning, but working here has been great for me.

I’d done a broad range of jobs before joining the Ombudsman – including a fire fighter and even an apprentice Thatcher. I only intended staying a while, but I got hooked on the work and I am still here learning new things some 22 years later. Every day’s a school day, as they say. When you’re on a case and you get to that ‘penny-drop’ moment, it is very satisfying.

I love the independence the job allows. I have my own work and flexibility over when and where I can do it. We are trusted to manage our day and make important decisions on cases, once you show you can get on and do the job well. It helps massively towards having a healthy balance to your work and home life.

I train new investigators on handling planning cases. When I meet them, I always make a point of congratulating them on hitting the career jackpot.

Sure, the work can be difficult sometimes, but I’ve always found it a friendly, open and co-operative place to work. There is always somebody who will listen if you’ve had a difficult call or to bounce ideas off on a thorny problem.

I do a lot of my work at home nowadays, but I continue to run the Friday disco. This sounds more energetic than it is! It sprang up in our York office during lockdown as a way to connect with colleagues when everybody was at home, and others across the organisation have since signed up. We share tracks to build a playlist, based on a weekly theme or a connected chain – it’s a bit of fun for those who like some background music while they work.