My journey to Stories was shaped by a growing interest how the spaces we build fundamentally influence daily life, belonging and opportunity. Back in 2021, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, and spent a summer at the South West London Law Centre, primarily supporting people facing unfair eviction or in rent arrears. That experience opened my eyes to the depth of London's housing crisis and the stark realities of social welfare erosion. I met countless people with nowhere to turn, figuratively and often literally, beyond the SWLLC.

Alongside this work, my academic studies (BA Geography & MPhil Land Economy) deepened my interest in the relationship between the built environment and social equity. My postgraduate thesis explored the activism opposing the Murphy's Yard development in Kentish Town, with a particular focus on the alternative, community-led proposals put forward by local organisations. This piece of work showed me that radical alternatives to the status quo can - and should - be imagined, and sparked my desire to work for a company that challenges conventional development models (while still being able to deliver).

Across this time, I came to see the built environment as the bedrock of any thriving community, and I wanted to somehow help create those foundations. While searching for a job, I came across an article on Mayday Saxonvale - see here - which I found incredibly inspiring, and led me to Stories. After sending James a long (and slightly rambling) email, I joined Stories in July 2024 as a Development Analyst. Over seven months, I gained hands-on experience across a range of projects and learned first-hand that purpose-led development can be pragmatic, commercially aware, and deliverable. I'll always be grateful for the time, care, and encouragement the Stories team gave me during those first seven months!

Stories were also kind enough to let me achieve my dream of travelling across Central and South America. Over four (and a bit) months, I journeyed through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Columbia. I slowed down, re-learned Spanish (ish), read, swam, hiked, and learned directly from places very different from my own. Travelling reinforced my belief that good development doesn’t simply respond to its surroundings - it grows out of them. Experiencing new cities and towns at street level highlighted the power of small, thoughtful interventions: murals that express local identity, generous public seating that encourages people to linger, open shopfronts that bring life and 'eyes on the street'. I was also struck by how often buildings grew out of, and worked with, the natural environment, rather than fighting against it.

I returned to Stories in September 2025, now a Development Manager, excited to bring these experiences into my day-to-day work and help deliver places that are both ambitious and deeply rooted in the communities they serve.

Beyond work, you'll find me swimming, walking my dogs, at the pub, watching films, reading or cooking something experimental (not always successfully).