For over six years, Patricia has been part of the different teams that have preceded Second Life’s present iteration, always trying to ensure that the whole team is aligned in its vision and strategy. With a background in economics, finance and social policy she is obsessed with circular economies, behavioural change and waste reduction when it relates to her community work.

Outside of work, Patricia is very interested in wellbeing and personal growth (kombucha experiments, raw cake or nature communication courses being part of the many topics that her husband is subjected to), a passionate reader, and a devoted family member. She's also been learning French for the past five years, slowly but surely, as she puts it.

Bringing people together for purposeful change has been Kate’s passion, a strong advocate for building community through connection and fun. A co-founder of 3 community businesses, working with the existing human ecosystems, empowering people to become involved and make change. 

Her life’s experience, from a successful sales career in IT, 2 children, business owner, project manager for a Council Community Services department focusing on community cohesion and outreach communication, an event’s organiser for fairs and festivals, both corporate and local– has been about understanding the cause and the audience, creating belonging and trust, listening, reflecting, and then making things happen together. It’s a wonderful journey.

Co Founder/Director – Frocal CBS

Co Founder/Director – Frow Resource CIC

Co Founder – FRecl – Forest Row Energy Co op

Monika works in regenerative design and leadership development, and for the past 7 years has been helping organisations in their efforts to become more circular.  I am now excited to engage more locally, working alongside the other trustees on creating a local circular economy, and a more resilient community Forest Row

Bev King has lived in Forest Row for 4 years, and joined Second Life as a shop volunteer at the earliest opportunity.  Bev also helps out at the ReJig Studio where unsaleable donations are turned into beautiful one-offs for sale at Second Life.  She is delighted to champion the volunteers on the Board of Trustees and will also help look after governance of the charity.

In her spare time Bev is a keen organic gardener, planting for the seasons with an emphasis on providing for pollinators. Apart from flowers she's especially good at growing runner beans and tomatoes, keeping family, friends and neighbours supplied over the summer months. Even so, at the end of the summer her green tomato curry is legendary!

In his professional capacity David is a Finance Director working with multiple charities. In his trustee capacity at Second Life, David looks after the money side of things and tries to ensure more comes in than goes out. 

Having lived in and around Forest Row for most of his life he is keen to ‘give a little bit back’ and enjoys the challenges that working within such a vibrant community brings.

Outside of work David plays tennis, ride bikes (both pedal and motorised) and enjoys the great outdoors.

Nick is new to the charitable sector but draws on his commercial experience to try and create a stronger and more resilient shop team that is ever better supported and resourced. His academic background was in Economics but that was a really long time ago. His work has taken him all over the world but now he wants his focus to be on his local community bringing people closer together and filling them with a sense of optimism that can drive change.

Outside of work, he is a keen but very amateur cyclist. The Ashdown Forest is where you will find him at least twice a day with his dog Oliver and the beautiful countryside is the reason he moved to Forest Row 5 years ago. He is also a keen baker, a hobby he started around 17 years ago when we first started working from home. He lives with his wife Rachael who teaches at Hartfield Primary School and son William, a police officer. His two daughters have left home and are happy in London as a teacher and civil servant.

In September 2023, I had been volunteering at the Second Life shop for a couple of months, when I was invited to become the Administrator for the then CIC….so bringing along my clipboard, I started working with the Directors, worked on the conversion to charity status and recently becoming a ‘supply’ assistant manager at the shop.  What a whirlwind it has been!

My background is in teaching, secretarial services and pastoral care at Michael Hall School… and all the skills from these activities have been useful in the day to day work at Second Life.  I have loved being part of the Second Life volunteer team and joining the Book Club.  But also with five grandchildren, life is never short of fun and games, either in Barnes, Lewes or Fremantle, Australia!    

Alexandra brings a wealth of experience from a lifelong career in retail and fashion. She began working in retail at just sixteen, going on to become a Junior Buyer at Browns and eventually Head Buyer at Liberty, working at the heart of the fashion industry. Along the way, her career included working with magazines, fashion shows and the fast-paced, creative world of retail.

After taking a career break to become a full-time mum, Alexandra found herself looking at her previous career through a different lens. While she loved the energy and creativity of fashion, she realised that something important had been missing kindness, community and collaboration.

When the opportunity to become part of Second Life came along, it felt like a grounded and meaningful version of the work she had always loved. It has given Alexandra the chance to bring her experience, creativity and knowledge of retail into the heart of a community that shares her values.

Alexandra feels incredibly blessed to be part of Second Life and to see how the work of the organisation makes a genuine difference within the local community. For her, it is a wonderful opportunity to use the skills built over a lifetime in retail in a way that feels purposeful, collaborative and kind.

Naomi has called Forest Row home for 25 years - she considers herself almost a local! Having journeyed through Steiner, home-ed, and state schooling as both an educator and a parent, she fell in love with the village's diverse community. With a background in teaching geography and a lifelong passion for the environment, Naomi sees Second Life as the perfect intersection of her personal values and the realities of our modern world. 

Beyond her environmental advocacy, she brings a love of beautifully coordinated bookshelves and a deep gratitude for the Second Life Hive. Looking ahead, Naomi is excited about the impact Second Life is having across the village. She believes that by protecting and supporting our local community, we are creating ripples of awareness and care that reach further afield.

Colette spent her childhood in Forest Row, she is a natural maker with a passion for upcycling, creativity and making things work. Her career has spanned the arts, events and theatre, where she has worked as a creative set builder and project manager, bringing together volunteers, artists and technical teams. She has also provided technical support and crisis management for corporate events around the world.

A natural problem-solver, Colette loves working with start-ups, creating systems and processes, and managing dynamic teams. She set up and ran a sailing school from scratch for four years, putting all the systems and processes in place, and brings the same practical, hands-on approach to Second Life.

Colette loves being part of a team that brings people together to make a difference, she has keen an eye for processes and a love of spreadsheets. She is passionate about upcycling and sharing ideas about how we can all be more resourceful and keep materials in use for longer.

Outside of Second Life, Colette is a keen crafter, a mum to the youngest member of our team – the second life baby and is always dreaming up her next creative project.

Abbi joined the Second Life team in January 26. Whilst new to the charity sector she

is not new to retail and has had a long career in the fashion industry, specialising in

the design and technical side of lingerie and swimwear.

She was attracted to the role at Second Life because for the last three years Abbi

has volunteered as a waste prevention advisor for WSCC. She is passionate about

encouraging everyone to reduce waste by buying only what they need, re-using what

they can and recycling right. If you have any questions about what can go in your

recycling bin, then she’s the person to talk to!

Caroline joined the Second Life team in early 2026 as Marketing Manager. A marketing professional based in East Sussex, she has taken charge of organising the website, socials and blog, and has helped the team make the decisions that have pulled the Second Life brand together.

Her aim is to show Forest Row, and beyond, what Second Life is really all about.

Alongside her marketing work, Caroline has recently qualified as a counsellor. Away from her desk you'll find her out riding, running or reading, and she's a busy mum too.

If you have a story, event or idea you'd like us to share, Caroline is the person to talk to!