A FORMER Darwener who became Baroness Massey of Darwen is preparing to be introduced to the House of Lords.

Doreen Massey, 60, nee Hall, was honoured with a life peerage earlier this year and will officially take her seat in the Lords next Monday.

Baroness Barbara Castle, Darwen MP Janet Anderson and Doreen's former French teacher from Darwen Grammar School Malcolm Wilson will be among guests at the ceremony.

Doreen was brought up in Lynwood Avenue. She was head girl at Darwen Grammar School and played for Lancashire schools cricket team. Her mother was a weaver and her father also worked in local cotton mills.

At 18 she left Darwen to start university in Birmingham and later taught in Britain, America and Africa before settling in London.

She became head of education and training for the Family Planning Association and in recent years she has concentrated on her role as an independent consultant in health education, often working on international projects for the European Commission.

She is a Labour supporter and hopes to use her new role to help influence policy relating to education, health and international development.

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