Lisa Aziz

As a news broadcaster, I think it's fair to say that we journalists do tend to get to cover a little bit of everything in our working lives. From war to the price of petrol and much in between!
But being a single parent myself, I've found I've been much more acutely aware of how we're perceived by the media and the very difficult problems and issues we face. From how our children are thought to do less well at school because they don't have two parents at home, to how we are generally perceived to be less well off and constantly under strain.

I won't deny that life can be very tough indeed when you're trying to bring up children and be there for them, and yet face financial pressures trying to provide for them at the same time . . . but thanks to the huge efforts of a group like One Parent Families at least there is somewhere and someone you can turn to for good, solid, practical advice.

In 2001 I was asked, out of the blue, to help host a One Parent Families Conference at the Commonwealth Centre in London. I felt very unworthy when confronted with our other wonderful Ambassadors and heard Joanne Rowling's personal story and her great committment to the cause in particular. My friend Sarah Brown pushed me to 'go for it' as she had done with the 'Magic Million Appeal'. How could I refuse?

I thoroughly enjoyed the day and was very moved by the personal stories I heard from those attending. By the end of the event I was asking if there was anything more I could be involved in. So, I was thrilled when I was asked to become an Ambassador! Aside from being a mum and part-time newsperson . . . it's my greatest role to date and means a tremendous amount. I look forward to hosting this year's Conference and meeting a lot more of our hardworking single parents!