Jo Bailey

Jo Bailey is a New Zealand writer, editor, publisher, journalist, public speaker, writing coach, and author of four non-fiction books. Her latest title called Never Forget is a collection of six gripping World War II stories, and reflects her passion for history, memoir and biography. Jo is an accomplished public speaker, who gives talks about her books, writing life stories, journaling, and her cancer survival story. She also teaches regular writing workshops.

Throughout more than 30 years working in print media in New Zealand, Jo has written thousands of news, feature and promotional stories, and interviewed many high profile people and celebrities, including rock stars, politicians, top sportspeople and television personalities. In 2000, she was the co-writer of a musical black comedy, Robin Hood, a Twisted Sherwood Tale.


Following the terror attack in her home town of Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019, Jo founded the multi-award winning community organisation, Uniting Canterbury Women, which promotes unity and inclusivity among women of all cultures and ethnicities in the city. Storytelling is a key tool used by the group. In 2020, Uniting Canterbury Women won a Te Ara Wāhine o Ōtautahi (Women’s Award) for “female champions, campaigners and change-makers”.

Jo won the 2020 Brockenhurst Scholarship from the Christchurch Memorial RSA (NZ) and Christchurch Sister Cities Association (UK), to travel to the UK to further her research on a nurse who served at the New Zealand No.1 General Hospital at Brockenhurst, Hampshire, UK during World War I.