I started in optics at the age of 17 with a Saturday job in a large chain of opticians whilst I was at college and then continued this whilst at university. During that time I had a variety of roles within the branch from admin to dispensing spectacles which gave me a great overview of what is involved in running a practice. After completing my degree in Marine Biology I found there were very few positions available locally in that sector, and as I was still enjoying my work in the Opticians on a Saturday it seemed to make sense to pursue this as a career instead! I chose to do a distance learning degree to become a qualified Dispensing Optician as it was important to me to have the professional qualification. I completed this at the same practice I started in at 17 , and I qualified as a Dispensing Optician in 2013.

A few years down the line I decided it was time to change my work life and to experience working in an independent optician rather than a large chain, to be able to spend more time with my patients to choose the right products & give them a more personal service. I wanted to be able to offer those with complicated prescriptions or eye conditions a wider range of products than I was tied to with a large chain opticians, and I wanted to be able to offer higher quality products as well.

I started working for Rawlings in 2017 in the Winchester branch. After 4 years I have now been given the opportunity to manage the practice in Alton since October 2021. I feel very valued at Rawlings Opticians and enjoy working with the other professionals as we all share our knowledge when it comes to complex cases and we are always there to help each other if needed.

I live near to Portsmouth and in my spare time enjoy coastal walks and the cinema (I am a not so secret Disney fan and chose Disney World Florida for my honeymoon !)