Eight years later, she’s the driving force behind OutLET, a project based in Hamilton, Scotland, that supports children who struggle with relationships, emotional regulation or resilience to get outside and reap the benefits of outdoor play
“My mum was a countryside ranger and when I was a kid, we’d go for walks. She’d point out all the flowers and trees, and I’d be wandering off. I wasn’t what you’d call outdoorsy!
I joined the Royal Navy in my late teens and loved it. I ended up on a survey ship and travelled around the Indian Ocean. But when I became pregnant with my daughter I had to leave; my partner was civilian, so once I’d done my maternity leave, I would have been expected to go back on duty and leave her. Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t willing or able to do that. I struggled with my mental health and moved back home to my family in Scotland, which is something I had never expected to do.
