AS debate rages around the question of the working mother in the wake of expressed doubts about MP Ruth Kelly's ability to cope with an infant, another pregnancy and life in the House of Commons, one local mother is proving that some young mums are multi-talented indeed.

Janey Salusbury is a successful singer, a busy wife and mother of two young children, Gemma, eight, and Christopher, six, a voluntary counsellor to the victims of crime with Bolton's Victim Support group - and the former hairdresser/beautician is also in line for a degree in psychology at Bolton Institute.

Everything Janey does she enjoys, especially her singing; as Janey Dunn she performs at clubs and pubs, but more usually at functions - weddings, masonic events, golfing celebrations, whatever.

She said: "I like doing weddings because they're really nice and you feel like one of the family. It's more like going to a party and having a nice sing. Singing is something I really enjoy - I suppose, in a way, because I am quite reserved, it's nice to get on a stage and be something else; then go back to being just Janey." Now in her thirties, she paid for her own singing lessons out of her pocket money at 16 and started singing at 21. She says truthfully: "I have never ever wanted to be a super star, I just love to sing. I don't drink or smoke and this is my hobby."

Husband John, a business development manager, helps her out by seeing to her complex sound system.

Being "just Janey" is a busy affair; she trained as a beautician at Manchester's Abraham Moss centre but now just does friends' nails. She also does walk-on parts in Coronation Street (has been a shop girl in Firman's freezer store) and in the past has done some child-minding at her Bradley Fold home.

It was while she was minding children that she noticed their funny little traits and, at one point, became so concerned about one of her charges that she determined to seek out a specialist in child behaviour and ask some questions. She telephoned one of the local colleges and began talking to a tutor on the subject of psychology - and was talked into signing up on an access course.

T

hen it was suggested to her she could do a degree course and she was accepted at Bolton Institute where she is now in her third year and has been told she could well get a First.

She proposes to seek work with the local health authority, possibly as an assistant psychologist. Janey is also doing a counselling course at Clarence Street centre of community education and is now a volunteer with Victim Support, the local group which offers help to the victims of crime.

In all her activities, she has the support of her "brilliant husband, soul mate and best friend", John.

In her role as singer, she can be reached through JJ Management on Bolton 412298.

CAPTIONS

PIC a: SINGER Janey Dunn.

F735/8: STUDENT Janey Salusbury.

F735/16: MOTHER Janey with Gemma and Christopher.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.