Biography of Sophie

Sophie grew up in Rye and besides a short spell in Hastings, she has lived in the town all her life. Her first job was a Saturday job at Winchelsea Beach at the Cats Whiskers hairdressers where she made tea and coffees, swept the floor and took out perming rollers from the customers’ hair.

Sophie studied child-care at Hastings College. Her work experience with a mother who had twins turned into a permanent job after college and she worked as a nanny for five years. By then she had moved to Hastings to live with her first husband. In Hastings she worked in a nursery with 2-3 year olds but she only worked there a short time as she soon fell pregnant and she and her husband moved back to Rye so that they could have family support.

Sophie had a second daughter soon after the first and was happy being at home with the children. Sadly the marriage broke up and she subsequently met someone else. They had two children together. Now with four young children in tow, she got involved with community activities such as ‘Messy Church’ and her local PTA, and she helped care for her grandfather when he fell ill. She has always been involved with the local community, she says, moving on to do different things as her children got older. Rye, as she says, is a very positive community and ‘punches above its weight.’

In November 2023 she was approached to see if she would like to become a local councillor. She was up against three other candidates – all men – but she was chosen as, she says, she has a clear vision of what she would like for Rye in the future. She would like to see better and more stable housing for the local community. She herself had to live in a caravan for a while with her children and there are many caravan parks on the outskirts of Rye which are not just housing holiday makers but families.            

Her vision is also to set up mentoring scheme on the local council so that more young people can get involved in local issues, and she would like to get a young apprentices scheme going too.

Sophie, along with Caroline Drummond, recently set up Rye Youth Zone, a CIC (Community Interest Company).  Sophie is one of the Directors of the CIC (Community Interest Company). Sophie felt there was a gap in provision for 11-17 year olds in town because, although there are football teams, dance classes and the Guides and Scouts, there are no ‘hang-out’ spaces in Rye and nothing for young people who don’t want to join in those other activities. Rye Youth Zone has already acquired the old Rye Boys Club building and, with community help and funding, the building is now being re-fitted. A Saturday club is already up and running at the Tilling Green Centre and Sophie hopes the Youth Zone will open in June. Besides activities there will be support for young people Watch this space!

Information on the Rye Youth Zone is at:

https://theryz.com/

Audio of interview with Sophie