about me

Born and bred in the South East (traditionally an Essex girl!) into a conventionally content family with an interesting heritage on both sides: my father was a humorous English company director and my mother a chatty and curious teacher from the Welsh valleys.  Not a bad background for a tourist guide? 

I was good at language learning in school but oddly never ‘engaged’ with my history teacher.  It was a bit of a surprise to find myself drawn into the stories of our past in my mid-twenties.  A chance encounter with the flatmate of a close friend studying for her Blue Badge changed my life in the most positive of ways!  I enrolled on the course as soon as I could and my eyes rapidly opened to an eclectic world of constant learning, the wonderful opportunity to engage in the art of storytelling, and the thrill of meeting new people in all sorts of places.

My early work always involved overseas.  I am never happier than when I have a bag packed with essentials and a passport in hand.  I lived for short spells in Malaga and Corfu looking after holidaying sun-seekers then nabbed a season in Switzerland to hone my ski legs.  I had a go at ‘office life’ selling holidays and contracting accommodation in Europe and Asia but the lure of the outdoors wouldn’t go away.  The transition to guiding and event organising using my knowledge of languages was a natural step.  I’ve been doing it for 30 years and it’s now really satisfying to be able to pass on my experience to the ‘young guns’  in the form of tutoring and examining.   

I came to Greenwich to live with my husband in the years before it became ‘super cool’.  The cranes of docklands looming in the distance on the other side of the Thames.  Nowadays the transformation of that part of town into a mini-Manhattan is an exciting view.  Greenwich features now in countless films and TV dramas (‘Bridgerton’ lately) you never know which part of our locality will sprout marquees, catering vans, and ‘hi-vis’ jackets next. 

My exuberant husband ‘sculpts’ very successfully and my twentysomething cricket-crazy son works in Whitehall and keeps us all abreast of political news.  There’s been a little of that in recent times. 

We all love our sport.  I swim outdoors, cycle on traffic-free paths, play tennis at my local club and practice Iyengar yoga to keep myself steady.  Fitness is an essential requirement in my line of work!

I am fluent in French and conduct many tours for French speaking clients.

Btw that’s not spinach on my front tooth just a bit of ‘sparkle’ in a moment of madness…