Rushbrooke with
Rougham
Rougham
Rougham
I was born in Scotland, but my parents brought me to England when I was just three years old. I grew up in Tonbridge, Kent and attended Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls. In my teens, after an enlightening spell in Paris, France, I moved to London, accidentally found love and moved to Dartford, Kent. I married Kevin in 1986 and had two children, Rachel and Greg, who are both now happily married, and have supplied me with four lively granddaughters. My daughter lives in Ipswich, and my son, in Glemsford. Kevin and I have also lived in a 1485-built wiggly cottage in Cranbrook, Kent and on a farm in the hills of Tulle, France. We moved to Rougham from France in February 2021, and love this area of Suffolk.
My interests include: reading, running, country walks, yoga, gardening, singing, pottery, painting, antique curios, local history, architecture, birds, the sea, rugged coasts, experimental cookery, lighthouses.
I gained a first class honours degree in English at Greenwich University and have spent most of my working life as a teacher, and, latterly, a headteacher, but I have also worked in the fitness industry and as a social media manager and blogger for a Hollywood film company.
I believe it is important to contribute to and support one’s local community. In this spirit, I volunteer as a room storyteller at Ickworth House, which I absolutely love! I was also a member of the committee that planned the Rougham events to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and another committee to improve the Rougham Sports Ground children’s playground. I am the president of the Rougham Ravers Women’s Institute. I’m also a co-founder of the successful Coffee and Company, an initiative to bring local people together to enjoy coffee and cake! I am also a co-founder of our community choir, Rougham Sings, which proved to be more successful than anyone anticipated!
I hope I have demonstrated a strong interest in improving the lives of local people and improving the local environment. I am prepared to take action to benefit the life quality of all our parishioners. I am ready to listen to people’s concerns and to use my judgement, combined with that of my fellow Parish Councillors, to prioritise actions to bring about positive change.
I enjoyed a lovely country childhood on a farm in Gloucestershire, on leaving school, I trained as a nurse in London.
I moved to Rougham when my husband’s firm relocated to Newmarket. My family have lived in Rougham for over 40 years, we have 3 children who were all born in West Suffolk Hospital. My husband spent his working days in the racing industry based in Newmarket and I returned to nursing when the children were older, working part-time as a cardiac staff nurse at West Suffolk Hospital.
Rougham village and West Suffolk have played a huge part in my family’s lives and we consider ourselves fortunate to live in such wonderful surroundings.
The community has been at the forefront of my life here and over the years I have held a number of community positions. Chairman of Rougham Parish Council, Treasurer, and trustee of Stowmarket Opportunity Group, (a playgroup for special needs children) Governor of Rougham Primary School, management committee member of Bury St Edmunds Citizens Advice Bureau and have served as a Partner Governor on the Council of Governors at West Suffolk Hospital.
I have had the privilege of serving as your District Councillor for the Rougham Ward which encompasses the Bradfields, Rushbrooke and Stanningfield. I was first elected to St Edmundsbury Borough Council in 1995 and subsequently as a West Suffolk District Councillor when the Borough merged with Forest Heath. I held the position of Deputy Leader for 10 years and Portfolio holder for housing and am now enjoying a reduced role at West Suffolk Council giving me more time for local activities and family life.
I was brought up in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire and moved to Rougham in 2011.
I run my own HR consultancy business helping people and organisations fulfil their ambitions and potential. My interests include nature, people and culture, travel and reading. I love the outdoors, looking after our environment and protecting wildlife.
Working in the community is important to me and I was a founding committee member of Rougham WI. I currently co-run a weekly coffee morning and a library in St Mary’s church Rougham. I also volunteer at Ickworth house
As a Parish Councillor I’m keen to help shape the development of a deeper sense of community by joining up and connecting the Parish of Rushbrooke with Rougham. I’d like to initiate more events and community initiatives. In addition, I feel very protective of our beautiful village and its extensive wildlife habitat. Whilst I appreciate, we need to keep up with the 21st century by creating additional housing and recreational space, I would like it to be done in a sensitive way meaning Rougham remains largely unspoilt as a great place to live, work and bring up children.
Meetings Rougham Airfield Parish Boundary Review 2015 Your Councillors Finance Governance
