I’ve always been creative. My mother taught me to knit and sew, and I also loved experimenting with stuff – like the candles I made in my mother’s pot, whisking up the wax into a froth with her egg whisk.  The candles were quite successful; the whisk took some time to recover! (My mother was not best pleased!)

I planned to be a teacher, but life took me in a very different direction. I started my career working as a probate officer for a bank and then for a firm of solicitors. For someone who is interested in people, it was the dream job. My husband and I were living in Zimbabwe, and we took the decision to move with our small children to the UK. 

I found a second career working in school administration and, for many years I worked as Sixth Form Centre Manager of a large secondary school – a job I loved. Now, I relish a challenge, but worry over swingeing cuts to staff, the long hours, high pressure and stress started to take their toll. And when I had a panic attack (I don’t do panic attacks!) I finally realised that it was time to make changes.  So I took early retirement and it was the perfect opportunity to reawaken those creative juices!