HOME ❤️

I don’t often speak about politics. Truthfully, it usually fills me with more sadness than anything else. But these last few week have felt too significant to ignore, and as I sat creating this wig,  nestled amongst deep crimson curls wrapped around a hard cap, crowned with a Union Jack inspired topper, rooted in the grandeur of 18th century British theatre and pantomime I’ve found myself reflecting less on politics itself and more on what Great Britain truly means to me.

Not politics.

Not headlines.

Not fear.

But identity. Culture. Safety. Art. Humanity.

When I was in my twenties, I travelled the world teaching mannequin hard cap wig making.

My first major trip was to Cape Town, the first place I learnt deeply about Nelson Mandela, resilience, and what freedom truly costs. It was the first time I saw mountains meet the sea so dramatically it almost didn’t look real. The beauty of South Africa changed something inside me. I’ll never forget the feeling of holding a South African rand note in my hand for the first time, seeing Nelson Mandela’s face printed across it. What an extraordinary man. What a leader. Even then, you could feel how much his legacy meant to people, not just politically, but humanly. A true honour to explore that part of the world and its history. And the first big trip I did alone.

Then came America.

New York City with its relentless heartbeat, steam rising from the streets, yellow taxis weaving through the noise, skyscrapers stretching endlessly into the sky like ambition made physical. There was an electricity to it I had never felt before. Every corner felt alive with movement, art, music and possibility.

Los Angeles, completely different energy altogether. Golden light spilling across palm trees at sunset, music history woven into the streets, old Hollywood glamour mixed with creativity and freedom. There was something cinematic about it all, as though the city itself was permanently bathed in nostalgia and dreams.

Everywhere I went, I absorbed culture with love and curiosity. I listened. I learnt. I immersed myself in people’s stories and art.

But the place that stayed with me most unexpectedly was Thailand.

Because Thailand changed my entire existence in this world.

I had never experienced peace like it before. The first time my nervous system felt safe enough to actually feel what life should feel like, and funnily enough half way across the world. There is something so magical about it, the warmth of the people, the spirituality, the stillness amongst the chaos, that completely cracked me open and brought me closer to my true self than I had ever been. It will always be my favorite place in this world.

It was there I met people who saw me before I even saw myself.

And strangely, it was also the first place that made me confront what some people thought being British meant.

Before anyone truly knew me, assumptions were already there. Loud. Drunk. Aggressive. I remember a girl from Germany openly telling me she avoided British tourists. Later, Swedish friends admitted they thought similarly. It stung. Not because it was true, but because somehow I felt tarnished by association.

For a long time, I felt conflicted about saying I was British.

“I’m from the world,” I’d laugh.

But the more people in Thailand actually got to know me, the more loved and accepted I felt. They connected with me. My heart, my creativity, my spirit, and so often people would look genuinely shocked when I eventually told them I was from England.

That experience stayed with me deeply because it taught me something important: stereotypes disappear the moment real human connection begins.

And over time, something else shifted too.

The more I grew as a person, an artist, and a soul, the more I began to understand what Britain actually is beneath the stereotypes. And now, as I reflect on the world around us, I realise how proud I am to call this place home.

MUSIC

Our music history alone is extraordinary.

David Bowie redefining identity and creativity.

Queen bringing theatrical brilliance and unity to stadiums around the world.

The Beatles changing modern music forever.

Amy Winehouse singing with heartbreaking honesty.

Elton John, Adele, Kate Bush, George Michael, Florence Welch, Stormzy, The Smiths, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones.

The list is endless.

British music has always pushed boundaries. It has comforted people, challenged systems, inspired fashion, theatre, film and generations of artists worldwide.

Music here is not just entertainment. It is part of our national bloodstream.

Art

As someone whose entire career has been built through artistry, craftsmanship and design, I owe so much to Britain’s artistic legacy.

From J.M.W. Turner capturing atmosphere and light like pure emotion, to William Morris transforming decorative arts into a philosophy of beauty and living. Francis Bacon exposing the raw psychology of the human condition, to David Hockney redefining colour, perspective and modern British identity.

I think of Vivienne Westwood using fashion as rebellion and cultural commentary, Alexander McQueen turning garments into theatre and sculpture, and Zaha Hadid reshaping architecture into something futuristic and fluid.

Our galleries and museums hold some of the greatest creative achievements in human history:

The National Gallery.

The Victoria & Albert Museum.

The Tate.

The British Museum.

And beyond institutions, Britain has always championed eccentricity and individuality. We celebrate theatre, costume, performance, storytelling and craftsmanship. Pantomime itself, the world I work in, is such a uniquely British kind of magic. Bold, camp, theatrical, joyful and generations old.

THEATRE

The beating heart of Britain.

Working in theatre has given me experiences I struggle to even put into words. I have sat in velvet seats with glittering eyes watching stories unfold beneath stage lights. I have felt orchestras vibrate through my chest so deeply it felt like my heartbeat changed rhythm with the music. I have cried tears of joy during finales, stood backstage surrounded by organised chaos, sequins, wigs, makeup, nerves and magic, and thought this is what being alive feels like.

Britain’s theatre history is magic.

From Shakespeare shaping storytelling itself, to the West End becoming one of the most celebrated theatre districts in the world. From gritty northern dramas to extravagant musicals, pantomime, opera, ballet and fringe theatre, we have always understood the importance of storytelling.

And nowhere else does pantomime quite like Britain.

Pantomime is joy. Tradition. Escapism. Community. It is generations of families laughing together. It is campness, satire, music, costumes, artistry and chaos all rolled into one beautiful experience. It is one of the purest examples of British theatre culture, never taking itself too seriously whilst still requiring immense talent and craftsmanship behind the scenes.

As a hard cap wig maker, I get to contribute to that magic. Every curl pinned, every hard cap blocked, every silhouette built is part of creating fantasy for an audience. There is something deeply beautiful about watching performers step into character the moment the wig goes on.

Theatre in Britain has always been more than entertainment. It is raw emotion, rebellion, celebration and connection. It allows people from every background to sit together in one room and feel something collectively.

And in a world that can feel increasingly divided, that matters more than ever.

HISTORY

Our history is complicated, imperfect, powerful and deeply influential.

The Magna Carta shaping ideas of democracy and law.

The Industrial Revolution changing the modern world.

The fight against fascism in World War II.

The NHS being founded on the belief healthcare should belong to everyone.

Britain has made mistakes, like every nation has ,but greatness does not come from pretending perfection exists. It comes from learning, evolving and striving to do better.

DIVERSITY

This, to me, is one of our greatest strengths.

Britain is not beautiful because we are all the same.

Britain is beautiful because we are not.

Our food, music, fashion, language and communities have all been shaped by cultures from around the world.

Indian cuisine is woven into British life.

Caribbean culture transformed our music and cities.

African, Middle Eastern, Eastern European, South Asian and countless other communities have contributed talent, business, warmth, creativity and identity to modern Britain.

Some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten in my own country come from recipes and traditions born thousands of miles away.

And perhaps most importantly- SAFETY.

I wake up every day in my beautiful village and feel safe walking alone. I feel safe knowing bombs are not falling from the sky above my home. I feel safe knowing my family & friends can sleep peacefully at night.

That safety is a privilege.

Somewhere in the world tonight, a mother is holding her child in fear. Someone is fleeing war, persecution or devastation simply hoping to survive.

None of us chose where we were born.

Not one of us.

Travel taught me that compassion becomes much easier when we remember each other’s humanity.

Wanting safety for yourself or your children is one of the most human instincts there is.

At its best, Britain has always represented creativity, refuge, humour, resilience and decency to me.

I will always see myself as a woman of the world. A soul who believes in pure unconditional love, creativity and respect for culture. Travel taught me that humanity is far bigger than nationality.

But it also taught me something unexpected:

You can love the world deeply while still loving where you come from.

And today, I am proud to be British.

Not because I think we are above anyone else.

But because I believe our greatest qualities are kindness, resilience, creativity, humour, diversity and compassion.

That is the Britain I recognise.

That is the Britain I want to protect.

And that is the Britain weaved into every curl of this wig.