Work
Steff lived and worked in Brighton and London after leaving Cumbria at 18 years old to attend the University of Sussex. Steff has built a successful career in London, but her home county of Cumbria has always held a special place in her heart.
“I didn’t imagine when I went away that I’d live or work in London, but I ended up doing both,” she said. “After years in London, I decided that I wanted to move further north and eventually moved into a property in Cumbria a year ago.
“In 1996, the case for a university of The Lakes had been published and that’s when I knew I wanted to end up at what is now the University of Cumbria.”
Due to Steff’s specialisms in research, she assumed she’d end up working at a university outside of Cumbria – until she saw her current role advertised by Choose Cumbria.
“I saw a Twitter post by Choose Cumbria in March, and thought it looked interesting,” she said. “I visited the website, and the first job I saw advertised is the one I have now.
“My job is a project finance role, which is similar to things I’ve done before. I look after health and education, which suits me as I’ve always worked in those areas and it builds on my knowledge and experience.
“In my role, I support costings of business proposals, make sure contracts are prepared and signed off and make sure finances are up to date.
“I remember the original case for the university and why it matters to Cumbria, so I’m really pleased that I’m finally a part of it. It’s something that I really care about.”
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Steff lives in a converted barn in Burgh by Sands, and her partner Charlie - who is originally from Cambridge - is planning to join her in Cumbria. The area is steeped in history and Steff is enjoying exploring her new surroundings.
“There is lots of history as Hadrian’s Wall runs through the village,” she said. “We’ve effectively got a Roman fort in our back garden! It’s not there any more but it’s marked on the Ordnance Survey map, and we have people walking and cycling past doing the National Trail.
“I know the people we bought the house from and they introduced us to the area, so I want to get involved in the community here.”
Steff’s new life in Cumbria is a world away from her experience of living in a big city.
“In the morning, it’s nice to get on a country road,” she said. “You can see the mountains and start the day with a smile. It’s not like that on the Tube!
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Steff now has more time to spend on her hobbies and is enjoying being closer to her family in Cumbria.
“I enjoy making things – textiles, quilts, dresses and crochet – so I’ve been doing more of that,” she said. “I finish work at 5.30pm now, so the extra two hours every evening have been very useful.
“I’ve also joined the Carlisle Canoe Club as I enjoyed outdoor pursuits when I was at school and university.”
Steff is also spending more time with her parents, who live in Egremont, and other relatives in Cumbria.
“I was away for 25 years and only came back once or twice a year, so I have a lot more time for family,” she said. “They’re only an hour away now so my mum is absolutely delighted I’m back in Cumbria.
“She went to check out our house in the first place and made arrangements with the estate agent, so she’s been part of the story from the beginning.
“I’m still settling in, but it’s so lovely to be back in Cumbria. It’s what I’ve wanted for 20 years.”
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