Local Face: Amy Burleigh

Amy lives in Wendover with husband Simon and two children, Rosie (7) and Hugo (4).

She moved to Wendover (by accident) 12 years ago when her grandmother’s house needed renting. “The idea was to move in temporarily and help do the house up to put it on the market. Simon and I moved in, started to do it up a little and then realised that actually we loved living in Wendover and ended up buying it from the family.”

Amy grew up in the area, living in Buckland Village near Aston Clinton from the age of 3. She was christened there, married there (even managing to walk up the road from her parents’ house to the church) and both Rosie and Hugo have since been christened in All Saints Church, Buckland, too.

University tempted Amy away from the area, up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to study Travel and Tourism Management, followed by a stint living in London and working for the Civil Aviation Authority before getting the travel bug big time and setting off on a back packing trip alone around the world. “Travel was always in my blood, hence the degree”. Her trip encompassed three month’s voluntary work in Sri Lanka, then tours of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Cook Islands before returning back home to a man she’d met just before she left…Simon!

After her return, Amy cut her teeth in the world of Event Management with the Grass Roots Group in Tring. At the time they were one of the top agencies in the country for Corporate Events and she worked on everything from automotive Dealer Principal incentive trips to Zambia and Botswana to running a global meeting at the UN building in New York for 500 people. “It was a crazy time but fantastic experience and I loved the variety of the role (and the travel opportunities of course).”

Then children came along and it was time to look for a part time role. An opportunity arose in a smaller Events business just outside Thame where Amy was Senior Event Manager for almost 6 years.

2015 saw a new development, Amy decided it was time to set up her own Events business, Raspberry Rhubarb. She left her employer, set up the business and hasn’t looked back. The business encompasses corporate events, wedding planning and private parties. Raspberry Rhubarb already has contracts with a luxury holiday company, is working with an automotive client and has various party bookings for later this year. 2016 has already seen her travel to Italy, to Scotland numerous times and all over the UK with her job. “I’m so lucky that things are going well, and I love what I do”. Further information about Raspberry Rhubarb can be found at www.raspberryrhubarb.com.

Thinking the first year of her business would be quiet, Amy signed up to become a Director of Wendover Celebrates 2016. With her Events background, she was a great addition to the team. This year’s Wild West themed event is on Sunday 1 May and is shaping up to be a fantastic event. “I’ve always enjoyed the previous Wendover Celebrates events and when I saw that volunteers were needed for the 2016 one, I jumped at it. It felt important to give something back, and to be able to do so in my own community is fabulous. The volunteers working with the Directors to put the event together have been amazing, it’s very humbling to see people put so much time and effort in for free. I can’t wait to see it all come together on the day.” Further information on Wendover Celebrates can be found at www.wendovercelebrates.com.