Tim and I had our first child, Charlie, on 23 March 2007. You can find out all about Charlie on his website here.
My Mum and Dad live in Colchester and have 3 daughters (including me).
Here is my family from left to right: Mum, Claudia, Dad, Phil, Andrew, Me and Tim.
My Sister Claudia in three years older than me. She lives in Northampton and works at the Silverstone race track, in the corporate sales team. She has a very cute little cat called Carbonel who is very sweet, but rather frightened of birds!
My twin Sister Phil lives with her husband Andrew in Cambridge and she works for The Welding Institute. Phil has a PhD in laser welding of steel, and has recently been awarded her Chartered Engineer status. Check out Phil and Andrew's Website. They have one daughter, Rosie, who was born on 18 February 2007. Rosie's website can be found here.
My Dad, Stephen, retired a few years ago as head of the Religious Studies and Philosophy department at Colchester Sixth Form College. He is interested in genealogy and due to our family origins, is keen on 18th Century merchant shipping and the beginnings of the railway in England. Since his retirement, Stephen has completed the two chapters he has written for the book "The General Carlton Shipwreck, 1785" (ISBN 978-83-924360-1-0), which was published in 2008. He has now created a website, which will be a useful resource for everyone interested in 18th Century maritime history or Whitby in general. Click here to go there.
My Mum, Susan, has recently retired as an advisor and part-time manager at the
Colchester Citizens Advice Bureau.
Mum is also interested in genealogy, but is happier doing research on-line and finding new and
distant ancestors and relatives, some of these new relatives have since become good family friends.
I am a basketmaker, making and selling baskets to commission and running workshops. I have been making baskets for more than ten years, initially as a hobby but for the last few years I have been running a business:- Clapp's Baskets. You can find the Clapp's Baskets website here.
I used to be a commercial property solicitor, gaining three years post qualification experience before leaving work to look after my son. I qualified as a solicitor in March 2004 and joined the Real Estate (Commercial Property) Department at City-based firm CMS Cameron McKenna . I worked at Camerons for 18 months and really enjoyed it there before wanting to get away from the City and relocate to Cambridge. I then worked in the Real Estate team at Eversheds' Cambridge office, although I am currently on maternity leave.
I have recently become a trustee of Sawston-based John Huntingdon's Charity. Being a trustee is a voluntary role, but I will be involved in making decisions about the running of the charity. As the charity holds a fair amount of property in the village (both almshouses and commericial property), then I should be able to use my legal experience for the benefit of the charity.
I went to St Catharine's College at Cambridge University and did a BA in Pathology (yes this is a proper science degree, don't be fooled by the BA!)
I enjoy spinning and I have my weekly evening off to go to the Tuesday Spinners. This is really a homemade cake appreciation society under the disguise as a group of people who love spinning and knitting. Click here to find out a bit more about my spinning and weaving.
I also enjoy making baskets. This is now my business, but I am a member of the Hertfordshire Basketry Group and attend some of their workshops and events, which are good fun. Click here to see a movie of me making a basket.
I also enjoy writing websites. In addition to writing this website, I regularly update my son's, Charlie's, website with news and pictures so that family can see what we have been getting up to. I also write and maintain websites for: The Mid-Herts Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers; The Hertfordshire Basketry Group; the Tuesday Spinners; and Clapps Baskets.
Although I don't get much time for hobbies now I have a young family, I have been know to do a little dress making in the past.
I live in Sawston with my husband Tim and son Charlie. Tim and I got married in Cambridge on 9 August 2003. Click here to go to Tim & El's wedding page, which contains details of our wedding and pictures from the day and the honeymoon.
We have a nice sized garden, and I enjoy being outside and pottering in the garden of a weekend and a summer evening (when I have time). I also enjoy feeding and watching the birds in the garden. Tim and I are both members of the RSPB.
I also donate blood regularly. You should consider donating blood yourself (if you are suitable) as it is a very good way of giving to charity.