About

Fiona The Author & Speaker

I was born in Birmingham and am immensely proud to still live in this fantastic city. Its industrial heritage has always fascinated me, so much so that I was inspired to write two books about the iconic Cadbury family who built the chocolate factory empire at Bournville.

My biography BEATRICE The Cadbury Heiress Who Gave Away Her Fortune told the compelling and unknown true story of the radical Cadbury daughter, who gave her shares to the Bournville workers in pursuit of a fairer society.

I then wrote a fact-inspired novel Comforts For The Troops which brought to vivid life the trials and tribulations of Cadbury women workers in World War One.

As well as being a writer, I am lucky to have had an interesting and varied career – as a teacher, university lecturer, business owner, educational consultant and latterly as a People/HR professional.

I am mum to two amazing grown-up daughters, and a lively rescue dog.

Fiona at Woodbrooke Centre in Birmingham

Getting to know Fiona

  • I currently work as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) specialist at the UK’s largest funder of communities. I am also the Chair of Trustees at a thriving primary school. Both roles have plenty of challenge to keep me busy, and also to satisfy my heart for community.

  • I try to embody these values in my life: Sincerity, Care, Excellence, Fun and Justice. My values (I hope!) are apparent in my work and play, in my relationships with others and in the books I write.

  • Brief Encounter.

  • It has to be Lost Stars from one of my favourite movies, Begin Again. I find it sad or uplifting depending on my mood. I recommend this version on YouTube performed by one of the song’s co-writers, Gregg Alexander.

  • … walking and talking with friends in the countryside, finishing off with a lemonade and a bag of crisps in the pub.

My other publications include a National Trust guidebook to the Shugborough Estate in Staffordshire — the property and estate developed by the Anson brothers, Thomas and George, in the 1700s.

Drawing on my professional background in English Language Teaching, I also authored two Graded Readers, Oscar’s Journey and A New Song For Nina, respectively a runner-up and winner of the Extensive Reading Foundation’s Language Learner Literature Award.

Over the last few years I have enjoyed sharing the background to my Cadbury books by giving Heritage Talks to more than 200 audiences at literary festivals, libraries and reading groups, historical societies and membership groups like the WI, the University of the Third Age (U3A) and Probus.