Hello, I'm Laura Sandys.

I live in Ramsgate with my husband Randolph Kent.

I have had an unusual life full, of different experiences with many twists and turns, but what I have learnt is that there is nothing more worthwhile than helping others in their daily lives.

When I was 17, my father had a massive stroke. It put the lid on my plans to go to university. Instead, I helped my mother care for my father. This taught me some valuable lessons. I learned how unpredictable life can be and how important it always is to support the carers in our society, whether young or old, for they give up so much to look after their loved ones.

At the age of 19, I decided to start my own business. It was either youthful enthusiasm or breathtaking naivety that led me to choose public relations and marketing, but I jumped in at the deep end and managed to stay afloat.

In 2000, I sold my last company and decided to devote my life to public service through voluntary work and political activism. I loved being a Trustee of the Open University and to see so many people benefit from being given an opportunity to succeed that that had previously been denied to them. As Deputy Chairman of the Civic Trust, I became involved with all the wonderful Civic Societies in the country.

Throughout all my campaigning and community focus, going to University remained a dream and so you can imagine how thrilled I was to be offered a place at Cambridge to do a Masters Degree in International Relations. I specialised in Iraq. I found later that my services were required by Military Intelligence during the Iraq War through the Centre for Defence Studies at Kings College. As an opponent of the war, I did not agree with the invasion, yet I was privileged to observe the military at first hand during the conflict. Our armed services are exceptional; the ultimate professionals, operating to the very highest standards. We can all sleep in our beds in more comfort knowing that they are there to protect us.

Following the war, I became involved with another area of international tension- the Caucasus: that troubled region on the border of Europe and Asia. Working with the Georgian Government, I could see the strategic importance of our current energy security. I also saw some someone shot dead in front of me. This brought home the dangerous nature of these negotiations and the vast sums of money involved in international energy contracts. While in Georgia, I experienced what it means to fall out with your neighbours and have your lights switched off. The strained relations between Russia and Georgia had an impact on the electricity and gas available throughout Europe which is why we must make sure that the UK has secure energy supplies.

In the last seven years, politics has become more and more important to me. I am sure that my husband will forgive me if I tell you that one of the proudest moments of my life was being selected as the Parliamentary Candidate for the Conservative Party to represent South Thanet and Sandwich. Of course, marrying Randolph gave me my happiest day.