Heather Laurence PhD is a Northumbrian dialect playwright and author whose work makes a distinctive contribution to the preservation and renewal of Northumbria’s cultural heritage. Blending older linguistic forms with contemporary regional speech, she presents both narrative and dialogue as spoken language, safeguarding its cadence, character and local knowledge while bringing it to new audiences. Her writing reconnects readers with oral and storytelling traditions, strengthens a sense of regional identity and belonging, and gives literary visibility to voices often excluded by standard English. By challenging the prejudice that treats non-standard language as inferior, Laurence reframes Northumbrian as a living, sophisticated cultural resource and encourages greater recognition of the vital relationship between language, place, memory and community.

A professional photographer, journalist and presenter, her endless enthusiasm for life despite many health issues and disabilities shine through as soon as you read her work or chat to her in person.