I began my career in journalism as a reporter on a local newspaper in Norfolk – The Lynn News and Advertiser.
A desire to travel took me first to London (where I produced in-house business magazines for Unilever) and later to Holland, where I edited a global company newspaper (for Philips). This was followed by relocation to Africa and then the Middle East.
I moved to Southern Spain in the late 1980s and enjoyed some 20 years there as a radio broadcaster. In 2006 I was awarded the “Communicator of the Year Award” for a series of programmes The Tsunami – One Year On, charting the reconstruction process in Sri Lanka.
It was in Marbella – after meeting Jenny Gucci – that I became interested in the real story behind the world’s biggest fashion house and Gucci Wars was first published in 2008. Gucci Wars – Jenny Gucci’s Story was updated and re-published (by Silverwood Books) in 2021 to coincide with the release of the Ridley Scott film The House of Gucci. In 2011 I returned to the UK to produce website content for two Harley Street eye/vision clinics.
In my sixties I retrained as a Celebrant (with the UK Society of Celebrants) enabling me to create and present bespoke, unique and memorable ceremonies for all life events.
My two adult children live with their families in Barcelona and Brussels.
In 2018 I married Rob Ollman and together we returned to my roots in the beautiful Norfolk countryside where my hobbies included painting (for the first time since my school days), caring for rescue chickens, planting wildflower meadows, playing tennis and practising yoga.
Lovely as our Norfolk life was, we both struggled with the dark winter days and in January 2025 we finally succumbed to the pull of the Costa del Sol. Together with our dog, Maddie, we moved back to Southern Spain.
Professional projects on the horizon include finishing the novel I have been working on (for almost three years!) and branching out into the podcasting world with the launch of Yesterday Podcast. yesterdaypodcast.com
Marbella, Spain – March 2025
