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Meet our Customer & Bookings Co-ordinator – Caroline

As part of our series introducing you to the members of our team, we are today sitting down for a chat with Caroline, our longest serving member of the team (after Victoria of course!)

portrait photo in the blue circle of Caroline Simmonds

Caroline Simmonds

Where are you from?

I’m from a small village in Hampshire, and I live in Basingstoke, so the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! 

 

What have you done in your career until now?

I worked in customer services mostly for over 25 years. When I was 19 I worked in Dubai as a manager in the Business Centre at one of the big hotels “The Royal Mirage”, before mobiles and laptops, so it was all faxes, phone calls and desktops! 

 

What is your proudest achievement?

Without doubt, working within this team of amazing women at terptree is my proudest achievement. Seeing that each one of us in our own way is contributing to driving real change for inclusivity and creating a level playing field for deaf people in their education, work and day-to-day lives – well that can’t be underestimated.

 

 

What did you want to be when you were younger?

From a very young age, I always wanted to work in TV and wanted to be a location researcher. I studied A Level Media Studies and Film Making, but then Dubai landed in my lap and the rest is history. 

 

 

What are you reading?

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris – an incredible true love story in the midst of such horror.

 

 

Where’s your favourite place to visit?

Odiham – The village where I grew up , I live 5 miles away but on a spare Saturday or Sunday afternoon when I’ve got no other plans, I’ll take myself off there, go for a wander down the high street and pass my old house and feel all nostalgic.  

 

 

If you could have drinks with anyone at all, who would it be? 

Without question Dolly Parton – I’ve been an avid fan of hers for years. She’s such a generous, kind, warm person….I always say if people had even a fraction of Dolly’s humanity and drive to improve people’s lives and educational choices, the world would be a better place.

 

 

What surprises people about you?

 I used to be a Goth and took myself ridiculously seriously. 

 

 

What’s your favourite quote?

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose” – DOLLY PARTON

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