My background is in education. I taught English as a Foreign Language for 30 years, 13 of those in Greece where I was living from 1986. I returned to the UK in 2000 and went back to University where I studied again and also gained a post-graduate teaching certificate in education. For eight years, I worked part time in two schools; a secondary comprehensive school teaching Art and Design and also in a Language School where, for the last couple of years, I was the Director of Studies.
Everything was going well until the Summer of 2015 when nine of us were unexpectedly made redundant from the language school. I lost a huge chunk of my income and needed to replace it but there was a further dilemma –I knew what I didn’t want to do, but not what I wanted to do. Years ago, I’d worked in an office and didn’t want to do that again, if I worked in another language school, it would probably be full time and I’d have to give up teaching Art. I needed flexibility and something I’d enjoy doing.
It was at this time I was asked to have a look at this Business. I went along to a presentation to learn more about it. Wow! I was honestly amazed. I really couldn’t see what I had to lose by trying it. If I really was able to work towards everything I had seen that night, I’d be a winner, but in truth, Forever has given me more than that. When I was working long and hard in two schools, I found I was living day to day and was totally consumed by work. No thought went into where I wanted to be in five or ten years’ time and, to be truthful, I had no personal dreams any more. Forever has given me back the ability to dream, to have personal goals and to want things again for me and my family, and now I am on track for reaching those goals and dreams.
I could not do any of it without the support network Forever provides. There is so much training and support within the company but, the encouragement and support given by my Mentors, Julie & Neil Shepherd, is second to none. I do not remember a time when they were not there for me, whether it was with planning my week, month, year ahead, helping with a launch, a presentation, advice with my own team or even offering encouragement and support on a personal level. They are professional, friendly and a fantastic help to me and my team for which I will always be grateful.
