Growing up in Pitsea I went to Pitsea Juniors and then onto Chalvedon School. My mum Emily Evans (‘Auntie Em’ to many) still runs St. Gabriel’s pre-school in Pitsea. She’s worked there for over 40 years. My dad Pat Evans worked at Ford’s Radiator Plant – later Visteon – and was a pretty good footballer and darts player. They both still their live in our home in Pitsea.

After graduating for Leicester Poly (now De Montfort University) with a degree in Public Administration I started to train as a local government accountant at Newham Council. However, after about a year I had the opportunity to work for the League Against Cruel Sports – campaigning against the cruelty of foxhunting, hare coursing and deer hunting. I have kept up this commitment since being elected as an MP, and have served on Standing Committees on bills to ban hunting and fur farming. I am proud to be a Patron of the Captive Animals Protection Society, the Honorary President of the Thurrock & South West Essex National Animal Welfare Society and a Patron of the South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

My first election to public office was to represent Pitsea as an Essex County Councillor for eight years. In 1997, I was elected MP for Basildon and East Thurrock and feel privileged to have represented the constituency and its residents for twelve years. My first position in government was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I went on to serve as a minister in the Department of Communities and Local Government and for two years was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. I was also one of the first MPs of the 1997 intake to get my own law on the statute book! The Waste Minimisation Act, which enabled local councils to do more to promote the reduction of waste.

My background working with voluntary and community groups across Basildon and East Thurrock meant that I was delighted to be appointed Minister for the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office in July 2009. I continue to support the fine work that voluntary and community groups do in this area and, as such, I am pleased to be a Patron of Basildon Women’s Aid, Basildon Home-Start, Basildon Citizen’s Advice Bureau, the Disablement Information and Advice Line (DIAL), the South West Essex Obesity Forum, the Friends of St Nichol’s Church, SHAPE (the Adventure Playground for People with Special Needs), the Essex Coalition for Disabled People, the Burned Childrens’ Club and the Basildon Ladies Football Club.

When Parliament is sitting my husband, Nigel, records my favourite soap, Coronation Street, but sadly I haven’t achieved my dream of being an extra on the show - yet! To unwind, I read political biographies and the novels and plays of Oscar Wilde. My favourite local walk is around the old plotlands of Langdon Hills and Thurrock, and I have hosted parliamentary events for the Essex Wildlife Trust. I can occasionally be found in the gym but my first sporting love is swimming and when at school I swam for Basildon Swimming Club.