My Portfolio

Welcome to my portfolio. Here you’ll find a selection of my work. Explore my projects and learn more about me and my achievements so far.

Personal Statement

I used to work fulltime as an events and wedding coordinator in a well-established small hotel in Cornwall.
The role requires me to organize events, activities and weddings. Using the Prince2 methodology I mapped out, executed and delivered
weddings. I had to adapt to the individual requirements of the bride and other clients. (Flowers and tips received, groom even shared the wedding cake, complimentary email and pay rise from company within two months).

Attention to detail, organizational skills, taking an interest, a positive attitude and remaining calm under pressure are essential skills that
I have to draw on.
New enquiries lead to new bookings and account management skills used to maintain effective relationships and collect large deposits
and balance owed. (Events and Activities include: Joey and the lips, Northcoast Arts - various events, Royal Historical vehicles - Belgium, Rotary 75th anniversary, Netball annual disco, book launch, Secret Easter Egg hunt activity and so the list goes on...)

Prior to this I was at Forest Mere. Responsibilities included overseeing spa standards, using the in-house platform to book
customer treatments and fitness classes. Working with brands such as Elemis and Clarins. Resolving problems and turning guests around,
training new starters. Accurate reporting responsibilities, billing queries, dealing with hi net worth individuals, members and guests from
the hotel which included group bookings, honeymooners, boot camps and guests in recovery.

I supported a small team to help bring back the Tourist Information Centre in Cambridge, lost during Covid. Key holder responsibilities,
welcoming international and local visitors / guests to Cambridge, problem solving, influencing and bringing a corporate event to life at the
Hilton Hotel as well as promoting the “Cambridge Standing Tall 2024”.

Previously in a Freelancing role at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands as a brand ambassador, front of house, hosting various events such
as F1 and the Holy Halls experience, (errr yes I was with the - C111 on occasions - priceless)
driving experiences (went out in the sls, that was fun - thank you - made up for other things) working with 3 – 5-year-old children (DBS check).

In my own time I have continued to dip in to www.yourstoexperience.com and support the travel sector.

I worked at Downlands Veterinary Group, the hospital and local vet practice. I had always wanted to help and work with animals in some
way, this was very challenging but a rewarding experience.

An achievement I am proud of is running a marathon in 2014 for WWF in order to raise vital awareness and funds for the Rhino and other endangered animals. I also enjoyed taking part in the Royal Parks half marathon in 2015 - 1 hour 54minutes.

I did a Bungee in New Zealand in 2005 and a couple of skydives but now prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground. One in Capetown, South Africa and one in England for charity.
Ohhh and a static line parachute jump as a teenager with my sister, Ipswich, England for a cancer charity. (Well if your sister jumps, you'll have to jump)

Key Skills
• Brand Awareness / Marketing and Influencing
• Animal Care Assistant role/reception – supporting in dispensary, housekeeping, vet assistant, reception duties
• Implementing a fully functional website, www.a2btravelextras.com, back-end and front-end design with a key focus on the customer
journey. (Head of Travel Extras & board level)
• Start Ups and Corporate experience
• Business Development / Transformation / Special Projects
• Delivering in house product knowledge training for new product launches within the travel/technology sector
• Delivering exceptional customer service as airline crew with Virgin Atlantic – Safety and Av – Med trained which includes a six-week
ab initio course followed by annual recurrent training with an 88% pass mark

Employment History
Small Hotel in North Cornwall - Permanent, fulltime role - events and wedding coordinator (March 2025 - June 2025)

Freelance Tourist Information Centre Cambridge 2024 / Forest Mere - Wellness Desk four days (July 2024 – February 2025) Merger between Treatments and fitness - getting business ready for 100 years...

M&S Christmas seasonal – customer facing role / stock – (November 2023 – January 2024)

Freelance role at Mercedes – Benz World – Brand Ambassador / Customer Experience (November 2022 – October 2023) I often received "thank you" cards on behalf of excellent feedback received by the guest/customer. Thank you card = free coffee or cake :-)

Downlands Veterinary Group – Animal Care Assistant / supporting reception, vets, dispensary and customers (2022)

Premier Marinas – Reservations / Customer Service and various ad-hoc hospitality roles – Youngs (2022)

www.yourstoexperience.com – Founder/ Director (2016 - Present)

RSA Insurance Group – Team Coach and Customer Experience - Vulnerable Customer Project (January 2017 – January 2019)

Volunteering at a local RSPCA shop in Cambridge and Keyholder (2016/2017)

www.swapsystems.com / www.a2btransfers.com – Commercial Executive / Special Projects, promoted to Head Of a2bairportparking ltd
trading as www.a2btravelextras.com (May 2010 – October 2015). (In my time at the business promoted twice - pay rise after three months of service, 5% shares given, annual bonus if the business did well, summer and Christmas party, private medical insurance option, three months sabbatical - paid for).

• Build and launch a2bairportparking.com and www.a2btravelextras.com including the planning, designing and execution providing
travel extras to the UK market via b2b and b2c channels
• Implementation of branding in high volume resorts for the airport transfers book of business
• Effective communication with all functions of the business as well as suppliers, external design, IT teams and stake holders
• Customer centric approach focusing on the life cycle of the customer / in house training
• Representing the company at the World Travel Market to influence suppliers and marketing
Acquisition of a business working with the CEO 2012 and Global project in 2013 - over 100 websites launched in 9 months. During my time here I visited Romania and visited children. I helped hand out food packages and meet with some very very deprived and forgotten children. On the back of this trip I fostered a little girl called Ranjana she is from Nepal. The money helped her buy books, a uniform and get an education and food. In Nepal girls are often married off at the age of 13 if not younger, some of the villages still do not have any sanitation or water.

Regus Head Office Chertsey – Team Leader (October 2009– April 2010)

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd/Virgin Sun/Virgin Blue (Australia) – Cabin Crew, fast tracked to Senior, promoted to Cabin Service Supervisor
(March 1999 – September 2009) YES , met Richard and have a group photograph.
I won the award at Virgin Atlantic for dropping the least amount of marks throughout the six week training course, I think I only dropped 4. Nominated for a prestigious Hero's Award.
After ten and a half years service and two of those years commuting from Liverpool to London Gatwick Airport and London Heathrow Airport, on top of a financial crisis, severance was offered to all cabin crew regardless of rank so I decided to take redundancy and focus on well being and work - life - balance.
Very long hours, an example would be leave Liverpool at 5am in the morning - allow five hours to commute in my car for a 10am check in, to depart at 12 midday then approximately 10 and a half hour flight time to LA (Los Angeles, California, USA) with an 8 hour time difference. Allow two hours the other side before you get to your hotel room and take the red uniform off...

"While cabin crew are not actually superhuman, they are often perceived as such due to their ability to maintain composure, professionalism, and a high standard of service even in challenging situations, such as long flights or dealing with difficult passengers. They are trained in safety procedures, emergency response, and customer service, which allows them to handle a wide range of situations with grace and efficiency.
Here's a more detailed look at why cabin crew are sometimes seen as having "superpowers":

Maintaining composure under pressure: Cabin crew are trained to remain calm and collected in emergencies, handling everything from minor incidents to potential crises with professionalism. Their ability to manage stressful situations while ensuring passenger safety and comfort is often seen as a remarkable feat. "

Ionica Telecommunications (start up) – Customer Services Advisor (November 1997 – March 1999)

Going Places - brand new shop opening and photograph in the local paper / Thomas Cook – Travel Advisor (July 1995 – November 1997) - monthly top Airtours sales person for the area - certificate received and acknowledged by the area manager - Paulette. I very much enjoyed my 21st birthday in New York with my sister - it was so exciting taking to the New York skyline in a helicopter followed by going to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.

Jacks Fish & Chip Shop (1990 - 1995) A little part time job, about 7.5 - 10 hours a week which included 11:30 - 2pm on a Saturday, gave me invaluable customer service experience, work ethic and friendships, plus pocket money for my trip to Florida in 1992 (Rip tide- nearly drowned in Fort Laurderdale, rescued by coast guard and decided to go back in 1993. After the dreadful hurricane in Miami a church group went to help rebuild some homes and I was lucky enough to join for a few days and help during my three week vacation, I really enjoyed the ride on the old yellow school bus)!

During College covered my friends Sunday shift on occasions, double pay! (Yes Claire I met Robbie Williams (2003 - European Tour, Lyon, France - did you ever meet Mark Owen?)

Education and Courses

Various in-House training modules and certificates gained – mainly corporate business – annual tick box
Neil Blumenthal on Branding, Marketing Fundamentals, Content Marketing, Managing Teams – LinkedIn learning - (2016)
Prince2 Project Management – (November 2011)
BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism – Cambridge Regional College 1993 – 1995 - various modules which include marketing, finance, travel services (Offered an A level Place at Netherhall if I changed my mind).
British Airway Speedwing ticketing qualification - paid for (this meant I could write airline tickets purchased ie: in a travel agent)
I did do some research regarding HND in Travel but at the time decided not to pursue this path.

Netherhall Secondary School – Cambridge (September 1988– June 1993) 9 GCSE’s gained - 5 grade A – C including Math’s and English (No excuse but I did attend a funeral during GCSE's maybe had an impact, who knows.

GCSE PE - due to my outstanding performance in Badminton I upgraded and raised the level for my year - I came out with a "B" in GCSE PE. My Netball piece of work was photocopied and handed out to the class to explain the rules after I gave my permission to the teacher.

I received recognition and badges for my outstanding work in Athletics and Cross Country running for the school in the Jubilee and Milk Cups.
I paticipated in various sports which also include Hockey, Netball, Swimming, Trampolining, Basketball, the school I attended offered excellent sports oppurtunities and education.

On a Monday after school I thought I would try and gain further skills by taking typing/ secretarial classes, not for long though, got bored.
Requested work experience with horses and I ended up in the hairdressers at Addenbrookes hospital for two weeks. Year 10 at secondary school!

Driving test - passed first time October 1994 :-)

Morley Memorial Primary School - Cambridge September 1980 or 1981? -July 1988 (Olivia Newton-John also went to this school - Grease movie?)
We were lucky enough to use
Homerton College Sports ground and facilities. We use to have educational days out which included the Anthropology Museum - Cambridge, Duxford Air Museum (Concorde experience and swan lake ballet in one of the hangers). We visited Kentwell Hall and one of my teachers was a magician in the magic circle :-)
In this class we had an incubator and hatched chicks, We had a visit from a pilot who talked about flying, he was British Airways, I believe the year to be 1984 but I am not 100% sure.
We had access to the BBC computer and I was lucky enough to have a Commodore 64 computer at home.
My Dad built my sister and I a go cart using pram wheels, it was painted SILVER, at this point we were very popular with other children. Along with the ice creams that my Dad bought for the children from the ice cream van that use to play a tune to entice us out of the garden. "Pavlov's Dogs".

Homerton Nursery School - Cambridge - very sweet school - I really loved it here
St James COE Play School - Cambridge...I can vaguely remember having a favorite all in one waterproof suit, I loved it so much that I tried to fit into it even though I had outgrown it - a very sad day when I could no longer where it.

Born in Cambridge - upside down

Hobbies and Interests

I love walking the coastline and swimming in the sea and enjoy travel when budget allows
I am a member of The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust with a passion for wildlife and the natural world (It was magical meeting the orphaned elephants in Nairobi, Kenya and Tsavo - they had been given a second chance of life, I fostered Lempaute from a baby and it was a joy to be able to feed her)
I paint and sketch when in the mood.
I like to go to the cinema, theatre and exhibitions when time allows.

I used to water ski and did manage one water ski but had a bad fall - actually twice, once in Surrey and once in South Africa, its like hitting concrete, luckily I did not do any long term damage.

I love horse riding and was lucky enough to ride an ex race horse in the Surrey Hills. My travels also allowed me to horse ride in beautiful places such as Bodmin Moor Cornwall, Tasmania, Byrons Bay Australia, Port Alfred South Africa, Winelands Capetown...

I've had a go at Skiing in America, New Zealand and France - I'm not too bad but happy to chill on the green and blue not black slopes! Probably also knocked this on the head and will be happy to have a coffee and watch others!

Diving on the Great Barrier Reef was breathtaking, Fiji was amazing, Cuba was cool, Mauritius was pretty...