Sheelagh was born and raised in Shipston on Stour just a few miles from Clifford Chambers. Educated locally, indeed attending the same school, King’s High School for Girls Warwick, as our Founder Sarah Hosking, where they both were encouraged in their love of literature by the inspirational teacher, Miss Burton. Sheelagh gained an Exhibition to study Literae Humaniores at Brasenose College Oxford in the first intake of women to that college. Subsequently Sheelagh, together with the love of her life, Baggy, spent a few years in the early 80’s travelling in Italy, North Africa and Ireland, living in a double decker bus, gaining all kinds of experiences and getting into all kinds of scrapes. With children on the horizon she returned to her hometown, Shipston on Stour. There for many years, together with her late husband, she ran various businesses, machinery hire, antique dealing and a small chain of pub/hotels simultaneously taking a degree in Philosophy and Literature at Warwick University. She became a town councillor and was Mayor of the Town during COVID. To this day Sheelagh still runs a local, historic pub in Shipston and continues to work as a Front of House Manager at the RSC, a job she has enjoyed for nearly 20 years. Sheelagh brings her hospitality skills to the Trust and also has a broad local knowledge and network of tradesmen, and other practical connections.