function validateContactForm(){
		
		// quickie references to my fields
		var name = document.getElementById('name');
		var email = document.getElementById('email');
		var enquiry = document.getElementById('enquiry');
			
		// check the inputs  (main function nav)

	if (alphaField(name, "mand", "name.")) {
		if (emailField(email, "mand", "email address.")) {
			if (alphaNumField(enquiry, "mand", "the nature of your enquiry.")) {
				return true;
			}
		}
	}
	return false;
	}

	// function for checking alpha-only text fields
	function alphaField(element, which, fieldDesc) {
		var alphaExp = /^[-a-zA-Z ']+$/;
		if ((which == 'mand') && (element.value.length < 2)) {
			var shortStub = 'Please provide your ';
			alert(shortStub + fieldDesc);
			element.focus(); // set the focus to this input
			return false;
		} else if ((element.value.length > 1) && (!element.value.match(alphaExp))) {
			var wrongStub = 'Please enter only letters for your ';
			alert(wrongStub + fieldDesc);
			element.focus();
			return false;
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	}
	
	// function for checking alphanumeric text fields
	function alphaNumField(element, which, fieldDesc) {
		var alphaNumExp = /^['"-0-9a-zA-Z' /]+$/;
		if ((which == 'mand') && (element.value.length < 2)) {
			var shortStub = 'Please enter your ';
			alert(shortStub + fieldDesc);
			element.focus(); // set the focus to this input
			return false;
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	}
	
	// function for quickly checking email format (check again on server side)	
	function emailField(element, which, fieldDesc){
		var emailExp = /^[\w\-\.\+]+\@[a-zA-Z0-9\.\-]+\.[a-zA-z0-9]{2,4}$/;
		if ((which == 'mand') && (element.value.length < 6)) {
			var shortStub = 'Please enter your ';
			alert(shortStub + fieldDesc);
			element.focus(); // set the focus to this input
			return false;
		} else if (element.value.match(emailExp)) {
			return true;
		} else {
			var wrongStub = 'Please check the format of your ';
			alert(wrongStub + fieldDesc);
			element.focus();
			return false;
		}
	}