Tots Team

We have a team in the office and an army of trained mums, out scouring the countryside finding you the very best family friendly properties. Together we are sure that we will help you find exactly what you are looking for! Do ASK our advice or call us, we are ever so nice!

Meanwhile, come and meet the team!

...................................................................................................................................

Name : Wendy Shand
Role : Founder
Age : 36
Star sign : Pisces (creative and at times a bit dippy!)
What's your guilty pleasure? Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate and Marmite on toast
Hobbies? Yoga and gardening

Read more about Wendy’s journey and how Tots to Travel started here!

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 3
Names and ages? Barnaby 7, Maisy 5 and Monty 2 months 
Best thing about being a mum? The unexpected cuddles...
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Packed lunches – providing a healthy variety of food that everyone will happily eat is just sheer torture! Marmite sandwiches anyone..?

On where you live...

Where are you based? Tots HQ in Northamptonshire
What do you like best about your area? I love the countryside and pretty villages combined with the fact that we are still pretty accessible.

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Davina
Role:  Sales Manager
Age: 39
Star sign:  Gemini
What's your guilty pleasure? Having my nails done once a month and my monthly girlie get togethers which I can never remember much of the next day
Hobbies?  Horseriding (when I get the time)

On being a mum...

How many children do you have?  3
Names and ages?  Georgia 9, Lauren 7, Daniel 5 
Best thing about being a mum? Watching my children sleeping. Haha - only joking, it's the big cuddles and kisses x three
Most challenging thing about being a mum?  Sibling rivalry and never knowing what child to believe??

On where you live...

Where are you based?  Ketton, Rutland
What do you like best about your area?  Safe place to bring up the children and the wonderful village school which is just amazing (oh! Forgot to mention, my network of fantastic friends who without I wouldn't function properly).

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Claire Hooper
Role: Marketing and Sales, Product Management and Tots Mum for Yorkshire, Cumbria and Northumberland
Age: 35
Star sign: Aries (yes that does mean a bit bossy I'm afraid!)
What's your guilty pleasure? Wine, Cadbury's milk chocolate and Costa coffee
Hobbies? Reading, gardening and watching junk TV (who has time for proper hobbies with toddlers?!)

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 2
Names and ages? Charlie, aged 4 and Emily, aged 2.5 (going on 12!) 
Best thing about being a mum? Hearing them giggle, spontaneous cuddles and 'I wuv you Mummy'
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Very early mornings and endless washing!

On where you live...

Where are you based? Halifax, West Yorkshire
What do you like best about your area? Being right in the middle of the country - nowhere is really out of reach! There's Manchester and Leeds for shopping, Yorkshire Dales and Moors for walks, the stunning Lake District and both east and west coasts with some gorgeous beaches and fishing villages.

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Anna
Role: Tots mum for Portugal
Age: 33
Star sign: Taurus (practical, generous and stubborn!)
What's your guilty pleasure? My husband’s very oily garlic prawns
Hobbies? Tennis, drawing and a good book.

On being an aunt...

How many  neices and nephews do you have? 1 so far, another on the way!
Names and ages? Calum, 1 year old
Best thing about being an aunt ? Being part of his brand new experiences, like the wonder of walking.
Most challenging thing about being an  aunt ? Leaving him to go home…

On where you live...

Where are you based? Estoril, Portugal
What do you like best about your area? The beach and sea, which are a short walk away through tree-lined streets...

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Helen
Role: Tots Mum for Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
Age: 42
Star sign: Libra
What's your guilty pleasure? Sneaking sweets and chocolates from the children when they are at school
Hobbies? Golf when time, running around the shops before children come back from school.

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 2
Names and ages? Poppy 5 œ, Michele (Pronounced – Mekaylee, Micheal in English)
Best thing about being a mum? The sleepless nights and keeping the peace. Oh and playing with their toys so you can regain some youth
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Juggling husband, children and work.

On where you live...

Where are you based? Northern Umbria.
What do you like best about your area? There are not too many tourists and the locals are really friendly and helpful. The scenery is amazing and is similar to the UK without all the big towns. Lots of woodland and wild animals

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Nancy
Role: Tots Mum covering the South Western area of France
Age: 32
Star sign: Aries (a bit bossy –mainly with family and friends… but it is a fire sign... I like to think I’m warm and caring too!)
What's your guilty pleasure? Red wine with a selection of cheeses!! mmm...yummy
Hobbies? Horse riding

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 2
Names and ages? Isabella 3 and Chloe 11months
Best thing about being a mum? That amazing concoction of the two emotions, LOVE and PRIDE!
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Staying patient and trying to empathise with a tantruming child!

On where you live...

Where are you based? Near the Dordogne in South West France.
What do you like best about your area? We can spend a large portion of the year outside, and the girls have plenty of space to run around! Not forgetting the amazing food and wine (hence the guilty pleasure!).

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Penny 
Role: Tots mum for West France
Age: 43 but still 20 really 
Star sign: Taurus, although I had to Google it, and apparently I am a typical Taurean, down to earth, determined and patient.
What's your guilty pleasure? First day back to school after the summer hols, good book and pool to myself 
Hobbies? Reading, Gardening (fair weather), DIY and my ipod.

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 2 
Names and ages? Jake 14yrs and Lucy 9yrs 
Best thing about being a mum? Playdough, paint and gloop, getting messy together
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Having to put away the above and allow them some independance, freedom and access to my computer. 

On where you live...

Where are you based? Charente just north of Angouleme 
What do you like best about your area? Stunning countryside with lots of hidden unexpected treasures. Good food and Pineau. 

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Wendy J
Role: Tots Mum for Languedoc, Aveyron and Pyrenees
Age: 41
Star sign: Virgo
What's your guilty pleasure? Reading magazines... drool... 
Hobbies? www.BritsNimes.com, Cross Stitch, Cycling, Gardening, Reading, Blogging (Goodness, I sound boring...)

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 2
Names and ages? Alicia 4 yrs and Eloise 3 months
Best thing about being a mum? Those funny things that your 4 year old says...
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Once your toddler learns to say no, trying to get them to do something they don't want to do. (and trying not to reply 'because I said so').

On where you live...

Where are you based? Lunel, Herault (right in the middle of the South of France) 10 mins from the Med beaches, 25 mins from Montpellier & Nimes.
What do you like best about your area? Being only 10 mins from the beach, 1 hour from the mountains and being so close to Montpellier which is fab. In May we have the most amazing wild flowers - absolute blankets of poppies which nobody sees as everybody insists on taking their holiday in July & August - come to the Languedoc in May - it's much the best time to come!

...................................................................................................................................

Name:  Rebecca
Role:  Tots mum for Turkey
Age:  31
Star sign:  Taurus
What's your guilty pleasure?  House and Home mags, Green and Blacks, Smirnoff Vodka and crushed lime
Hobbies?  No time for hobbies as such.  Any spare time is spent with the girls, their father and our golden retriever Jazz (who has no idea how to retrieve anything), preferably on the beach or picnics in the forest!

On being a mum...

How many children do you have?  I am "mummy" to two little girls
Names and ages?  Ela is five years old and her little sister Izzie was born at the end of last summer so is still quite new!
Best thing about being a mum?  Weekend lie-ins "en famille".  Cuddles, giggles and raspberry blowing on little tummies!
Most challenging thing about being a mum?  Coping with being out negotiated by a five year old.  Finding enough time in the day, staying awake through more than 2 pages of a novel or sitting on the sofa without falling asleep!

On where you live...

Where are you based?  We are based in South West Turkey
What do you like best about your area?  I love where we live.  The best thing is for example, being able to watch kids of all ages sit together in the fields at spring time making daisy chains and looking after one another, still innocent and safe.  Our area is rich in stunning scenery from the beaches and coastline to the pine covered mountains.  The fertile agricultural valleys and bustling market and fishing towns are fantastic to explore.  We have a huge share of superb ancient sites which show the amazing wealth of history of the area and the people are the warmest, most open hearted I have ever had the pleasure to spend time with. 

...................................................................................................................................

Name:  Tracy
Role:  Tots mum for Bugundy and the Alps
Age:  43
Star sign:  Capricorn
What's your guilty pleasure?   Soaking in the bath with a good book and a glass of Burgundy wine
Hobbies?  Reading, skiing, travelling and dinner parties - however spare time is quite limited these days!

 On being a mum...

How many children do you have?  2
Names and ages?  Chiara 4 and Luc 2
Best thing about being a mum?  The unconditional love; on both sides, not fogetting the kisses
Most challenging thing about being a mum?  Getting all of us out the door for 8.15am, fully washed, dressed, fed and with the right bags 

On where you live...

Where are you based?  Burgundy
What do you like best about your area?  The countryside, the people, the lifestyle, the wine - it's all fantastic

 ...................................................................................................................................

Name:  Karen
Role:  Tots mum for Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex
Age:  40
Star sign:  Non believer
What's your guilty pleasure?   Chocolate and red wine - no guilt!
Hobbies?  Mountain biking (with the girls on the back!) and photography

On being a mum...

How many children do you have?  Two girls
Names and ages?  Alex, three and a half and Olivia, two
Best thing about being a mum?  Happy children
Most challenging thing about being a mum?  Grumpy children with no OFF switch!

On where you live...

Where are you based?  UK, on the Norfolk/Suffolk border
What do you like best about your area?  Great beaches, pretty countryside and loads of great stuff to do with the children

 ...................................................................................................................................

Name:  Vhari
Role:  Tots mum for Cambs, Beds and Northants
Age:  32
Star sign:  Virgo
What's your guilty pleasure?   Dairy Milk chocolate
Hobbies?  Gardening and growing our own veg

On being a mum...

How many children do you have?  2
Names and ages?  A three year old little ballerina called Emily and 1 month old Grace
Best thing about being a mum?  The hugs and kisses and lovely little comments and looks
Most challenging thing about being a mum?  Keeping your patience after the 25th "why?"

On where you live...

Where are you based?  We live in a thatched cottage in the Cambridgeshire village of Brampton
What do you like best about your area?  We can walk to the pre-school and lots of shops and friends

...................................................................................................................................

Name:  Simone
Role:  Tots mum for Sussex, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire 
Age:  42
Star sign:  Scorpio
What's your guilty pleasure?   Grabbing a 10 minute snooze when there's a lull in work and child-rearing (not often!)
Hobbies?  Work and child-rearing it seems...

On being a mum...

How many children do you have?  2
Names and ages?  Calum, 8 and Sophie, almost 3
Best thing about being a mum?  The funny things children say, cuddles, and admiring their achievements
Most challenging thing about being a mum?  Juggling work with trying to give the best to your children

On where you live...

Where are you based?  Brighton
What do you like best about your area?  The proximity of the beautiful coast and countryside

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Josephine Page
Role: Tots mum in Menorca
Age: 38
Star sign: Taurus
What's your guilty pleasure? Reality TV
Hobbies? Not very much time for hobbies but try to read every day even if it's only for 5 minutes before my eyes finally close for the day

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 2
Names and ages? Samuel, 3 and Benjamin, 1
Best thing about being a mum? Gummy smiles that reach from ear to ear; holding hands; that a kiss can make everything better; listening to my 3 year old son speak 3 languages (sometimes all in the same sentence!)
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Trying to avoid "Groundhog day"; getting to the bottom of the washing/ironing pile; never getting quite enough sleep

On where you live... 

Where are you based? Ciutadella, Menorca
What do you like best about your area? The heat of the summer, the autumn sunshine, the wild north wind, the vivid colours of the countryside in the spring, the gorgeous food, the great traditions and amazing fiestas, the fabulous beaches that could easily compete with the Caribbean...it's home.

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Philippa Lyall
Role: Tots Mum for Brittany & West Normandy
Age: 48 - There's NO WAY I can be 48!!!
Star sign: Aquarius - friendly, innovative and original- apparently!
What's your guilty pleasure? Cadbury's Dairy Milk - once I've started a bar, I HAVE to finish it!
Hobbies? Badminton, scrap booking, having fun!

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 4
Names and ages? Katie 22, James 19, twins Megan and Luke, 11
Best thing about being a mum? Family get-togethers and being proud of all they do
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Telling one of them off - then the other goes and does EXACTLY the same thing!

On where you live...

Where are you based? Morbihan, Brittany
What do you like best about your area? The friendly community, the peace and quiet, the lifestyle and the Breton cider - it's all so good!

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Natasha Nutley
Role: Sales support
Age: 40
Star sign: Capricorn
What's your guilty pleasure? Chocolate and gossip magazines
Hobbies? Photography, reading cookery books (but never actually getting round to making anything)

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 1
Names and ages? Oliver - 2 and a half
Best thing about being a mum? Just about everything really
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Trying to get Ollie to eat something other than bananas, yoghurt or cheese!!

On where you live..

Where are you based? Old Isleworth
What do you like best about your area? Just outside London - so we have wonderful parks, terraces and gardens but also easy access to just about everywhere.

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Emma Cooper
Role:  Tots Mum for Mallorca
Age:  34 (nearly 35)
Star sign: Taurus
What's your guilty pleasure? A glass or two of white wine and a gourmet meal (cooked by someone else!!) and enjoying a good book in peace and quiet
Hobbies? Reading, cooking and eating!!!

On being a mum...

How many children do you have? 3
Names and ages?  Georgia 14, Jessica 9 and Joshua 7
Best thing about being a mum? Lots of cuddles and the questions they ask that give you an insight into what is going on in their minds
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Realising that you can't protect them from everything forever!

On where you live...

Where are you based? South East Mallorca
What do you like best about your area? The whole island is accessible and every place is so different to the next - we have gorgeous beaches, stunning mountains and of course fantastic weather!

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Pamela Hayhurst
Role: Tots Grandma for the Cote D'Azur and Provence
Age: 57
Star sign: Aquarius
What's your guilty pleasure? A chilled glass of wine at the end of the day and driving fast cars
Hobbies? Reading and travel

On being a mum and grandma...

How many children do you have? 2 and 2 stepchildren plus 2 grandchildren
Names and ages?  Lisa 38, Donna 34, Julia 37 and Stuart 36. Then Agatha 6 and Oliver 8
Best thing about being a mum? Watching them grow up into adults that I am proud of and watching them in turn becoming parents themselves
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Bringing up 3 teenage girls all at the same time! Quite an experience

On where you live...

Where are you based? In a beautiful and quiet area amongst vineyards but best of all, only 40 minutes from St Tropez
What do you like best about your area? The climate and the amazing scenery. The swish resorts of the Cote D'Azur contrasted by amazing Provencal villages and countryside.

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Marilyn and John Brindley
Role: Tots Grandparents for the Canary Islands
Age: Early retirees
Star sign:  Marilyn - Pisces, John - Aries  (but we don't read horoscopes!)
What's your guilty pleasure? Warm Christmases but we've ceased being guilty!
Hobbies? Socialising (any excuse for a coffee by the sea), swimming, cooking, reading and crosswords, computers, walking, sewing and crafts.

On being parents and grandparents...

How many children/grandchildren do you have?  2 children, 2  grandchildren
Names and ages?  Nicola and Simon, both early thirties, Ethan and Bailey, aged 2
Best thing about being a parent/grandparent? There's no rule book and you learn on the job. It's funny, now we're grandparents we somehow know just what to do and say!
Most challenging thing about being a parent?  It carries on for decades!

On where you live...

Where are you based? In a villa overlooking Fuerteventura about 8 miles away across the Bocaina Straits. Having researched all the places in Europe to keep warm in winter, we settled on the Canary Islands. Wanting somewhere beautiful, we picked Lanzarote, and  wanting somewhere near the sea with a quiet ambience but all modern facilities, we picked Playa Blanca
What do you like best about your area? Northern European standards of public services and utilities, spectacular natural beauty and a sub tropical climate all year round, only 4 hours from UK.

...................................................................................................................................

Name: Sandie Jones
Role:Tots mum in Andalucia, Spain
Age: 40 something!
Star sign: Gemini
What's your guilty pleasure? Any kind of fruit cake, unfortunately it's not very easy to get in Spain, but when I get it, I get to eat it all as no-one else in the family likes it
Hobbies? Playing basketball with a local village team

On being a mum...

How many children to you have? Christian 13 and Elena 10
Best thing about being a mum? The unconditional love and hugs they dish out
Most challenging thing about being a mum? Getting them to eat their veg!

On where you live...

Where are you based? Near Malaga, Andalucia
What do you like best about your area? I love the mild climate in the winter when we can spend most of our time outdoors and doing sports. The summers are gloriously hot but it's most fun when we are not working and can take full advantage of the sea and the pools. The best time to visit Andalucia is the spring and Autumn. The village I live in is small enough for the children to play out and to get to know most people, but we are only 20 minutes from all the facilities of Malaga and the lovely coastline. We are a short drive from the glitzy Marbella and Puerto Banus, but also within easy reach of a multitude of white washed villages. In the winter we are only 2 hours drive from the ski resort of Sierra Nevada for family skiing in the sunshine.