After serving in the Intelligence Corps for 21 years, followed by 5 years security consultancy Maggie decided that she wanted to pursue a project that had sustainability at its heart. With 2 young children she felt that she wanted to be able to make a difference in some way that might help towards climate change and become a small beacon of sustainability within the local area.  With an aim to teach children about the environment and grow food for the local community organically, in 2005 she set out converting a green pasture field in Southbourne into an organic smallholding.  This was without any knowledge of how to grow fruit and vegetables but with bags of motivation. Today Tuppenny Barn is now an accredited charity and a growing Tuppenny community. When not working, Maggie enjoys cooking (organic of course), theatre, walking and seeing her 2 children thrive.