Hi, I’m Alice.
I am a mother of three, juggling family life alongside a full-time career, with a passion for growing, cooking and living well.
My interest in wellbeing and the outdoors wasn’t something I discovered later in life, it could probably be labelled as a slight ‘obsession’ for as long as I can remember. I come from a family of ten children and am number nine in the line up. As a child, most of our family holidays were spent walking the hills and countryside of Shropshire with anywhere between five and eight siblings in tow. At the time, I probably did whinge about spending my holidays hiking through straw fields and up steep hillsides but, looking back, those adventures are some of my fondest memories. The reward at the end, which always seemed worth it to me (bravo mum and dad!) was always a lime and soda a packet of peanuts and a game of pool at the local pub, and those simple moments still bring a smile to my face and a warm feeling in my heart.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that I now spend much of my free time outdoors. You’ll usually find me at the allotment, growing fruit, vegetables and herbs, looking after my bees, or finding new ways to turn my home grown produce into simple, delicious meals. Cooking from scratch has always been a way of life for me, and I love creating nourishing food that doesn’t require complicated ingredients or hours in the kitchen and I’m praying that this rubs off on my children!
When I’m not working, weeding at the allotment or experimenting with recipes, you’ll usually find me surfing, walking the Purbeck coastline, or taking my 1972 VW Beetle, Effy, out for a spin. And if you’re wondering how I fit it all in, the answer is probably coffee. Lots of it.
Through Grow Cook Thrive, I hope to share the things I’ve learned along the way and encourage others to make small, sustainable lifestyle tweaks that gradually become habits and, ultimately, a way of life. I believe that living well doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul to feel healthier, happier or more connected to nature. Often, the biggest changes come from the smallest steps; growing a few vegetables, cooking one more meal from scratch, getting outside for a walk, or simply paying a little more attention to what makes you feel good.
This website is my place to share recipes, growing tips, wellbeing ideas and everyday, doable inspiration. If it helps others discover the joy of growing, cooking and thriving, then it’s doing exactly what I hoped it would.
