The Welsh Woman of the Year...from County Durham

Definitely one of the North-East's brighter exports. And we could be hearing a lot more of her.

Karen, 36, who works at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, received her award for her work in improving access to higher education for disabled students, work in which she has been stunningly successful. So much so, that in many ways she has set the standard in other colleges throughout the UK.

She is small, tough, feisty and at this month's launch in Cardiff 's Millennium Centre to find her successor, a room full of the most dynamic and influential women in Wales were queuing up for a few minutes of her time, to congratulate her on her speech - she'd been practising it in the loo beforehand - to pick her brains, ask for her help, persuade her on to another committee or charity.

Or simply to invite her for lunch.

"Not for the next two months, " she says, her diary ridiculously crammed.

But she's still a bit bemused by it all.

"Whenever the title is mentioned, I look round and wait for someone else to stand up."

And, of course, it all happened by accident. After school at Belmont Comprehensive, Durham Johnson sixth form and a history degree, Karen was living with her then partner in Warminster in Wiltshire, hoping to join the army herself and doing not particularly challenging jobs in the meanwhile.

"Luckily, I volunteered at the Citizens' Advice Bureau and did their advice worker training, which was brilliant."

THIS led, in 1997, to a part time job as student adviser at the University of Wales Institute.

"In those days, welfare work was mainly to do with helping students sort out their finances and manage their debts. But in my spare time, I started organising support for disabled students and lobbying for a role as disability adviser. It was all new. There was no legislation that covered it and no real idea of what was needed.

"But I believe passionately that education is the key to people's lives. Most of us are lucky enough to take our opportunities for granted. I just wanted others to have the same chance."

In those days there were just 50 disabled students at UWIC. Since then, Karen has gone from just her solitary part-time post to become Disability Services Manager with a team of ten people. Policies they created have become the gold standard for others. As a result, this year UWIC has nearly 1,000 students with a wide variety of disabilities.

"It's not all about wheelchairs and white sticks, " says Karen, immediately dismissing her role as that of glorified ramp builder. "There are all sorts of ways in which society disables people and prevents them from reaching their full potential.

"Often the disabilities are much less tangible and fly under the radar. For instance, one in four of us at one time in our lives is likely to suffer from mental illness - particularly stress or depression - yet many find it difficult to tell their manager what support they require, because they fear what the reaction will be.

"It can be a student with cancer who needs flexibility in attendances, a person with epilepsy who wants to do a job that traditionally has to be done by someone who can drive. There are ways round this. Sometimes it needs a fresh way of thinking.

"And sometimes it's something as simple as reminding people that someone might be deaf but they should always look at people when talking to them. But that's just good manners really.

"It's not just the physical barriers - the stairs, the narrow doorways - but cultural attitudes that need to be changed. I don't say 'people with disabilities'. I say 'disabled people' - because we, society, have disabled them by our narrow thinking. We can't just rely on legislation to create a fair society. We have to take responsibility too."

Karen won her award at a ritzy glitzy dinner.

"Didn't think I stood a chance. I didn't even buy a dress until just before the shops closed that afternoon, " she laughs.

THE award has a number of categories and after she won the Woman as Educator award and had been up on stage to receive it and make her acceptance speech, she settled down and enjoyed herself "especially as my boss kept sending over champagne".

Then they announced she'd won the overall award as well and she had to totter up to the stage again. "Another speech. . ." Despite the shock and champagne, she managed it with style and aplomb.

The award has brought her many more opportunities to spread the word over the way we treat disabled people.

As well as work, there are functions, charity events, business dinners with men in suits.

"Sometimes I think I spread myself about like cheap margarine."

And if that wasn't enough, she's set herself another challenge.

"I have met so many amazing people, who are getting on and doing things. I always thought that people like them, like us, don't go into politics. And then I thought Why not? , " she announces. "I feel passionately about so many issues and I really want to be in a position to get things done. I know people say that you actually have less power as a politician, but I want to give it a go."

She has started on the long journey towards a political career, and has already passed the first hurdle to get on the list of candidates. Much to her friends' surprise - if not horror - she's joined the Conservatives. "One or two have said they'll back me, but only if they can do it in secret.

"I chose the Tories for a number of reasons, but chiefly because they have an integrated policy of inclusivity.

And the party's changing to reflect society and I want to be part of that modernisation."

She's currently going to selection meetings for seats in Wales. . . "but much as I love Wales, I still belong to the North-East and would love to have a go at a seat up there."

Politics, at all levels, were always part of her family background in Durham, as well as a tradition of involving themselves in the community. Karen is particularly proud of her Uncle Ronnie - Lt Col (retd) Ronnie Walton MBE.

"He was a Lt Col in the Territorial Army at the same time as being a union shop steward in Gateshead. I don't think anyone else has done that, " she says.

Karen herself was in the TA for a number of years, until rickety arthritic knees meant she just physically couldn't do it any more. Instead, because she gets seasick, hates water and can't swim, she recently took up sailing. Pretty typical for a woman who doesn't believe in letting obstacles get in her way.

She shares her home with her cats, does a lot of charity work and has just agreed to give a few precious hours to Guiding. "I was a Guide and got so much out of it. There's a waiting list of girls who want to join because there just aren't enough adults to run it. You can't complain about what children get up to ifyou're not prepared to put yourself out and do something about it, " says Karen.

But she does, thank goodness, manage to squeeze in a social life and plenty of parties.

Being Welsh Woman of the Year - and she's only halfway through her year of "office" - has she says, been life changing, especially in the way it has sent her into politics.

"Sometimes when you want to do something very difficult you can get intimidated by the sheer scale of the challenge, you feel you can't do things because they are so big. The secret is not to try and do it all, but tackle what you can, sort of bite-size chunks. Then you might surprise yourself with what you've got done.

"As someone once said - we have all the skills and resources we need. What we do with them is up to us."