I was born in Liverpool and brought up in the Northwest. I relocated to the South when I was 17 to study for a degree in Philosophy at University. I now live in a little village just outside of Bath with my husband Nat and two children Amelie and Zack, a chocolate Labrador Tia, a cat Smudge and a tankfull of Sea Monkeys (oh don't ask)!

I'm most content when I have the time to "potter" - with the kids in tow looking for worms - on my allotment (I leave the digging and hard work to Nat) and I'm more than happy when I have the luxury to while away an hour or two, to spend time in the kitchen making jams and chutneys for unsuspecting recipients.

Life is a real adventure and I believe that we have to make the most of the opportunities we are given and create for ourselves those that we are not. Establishing VANA In 2004 was certainly an adventure. Making the decision to leave the blue chip environment and "going it alone" was a pretty scary one to make - made even scarier with the fact that I was expecting Amelie at the time - but with Debbie as my business partner I just knew that we were making the right decision and didn't for one moment consider that VANA would not be the success that it is today.

Every day at VANA brings new challenges, new opportunities and new rewards. The future is exciting as Debbie and I continue to work hard to ensure that the values that we built the business on truly permeate throughout all that we do.

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