Tricia Bland - new Hon. Secretary
Tricia Bland is our newly-elected Hon. Secretary of the Thames Ditton and Weston Green Residents' Association, succeeding Lorraine Sharp. Tricia, from Wales, studied Social Sciences at Kingston University where she met fellow student Will, now a partner in an advertising agency. They married when she graduated, and lived in Kingston and Surbiton. She combined bringing up three daughters with a career in journalism. Tricia worked in the Walt Disney press office, published a number of film articles and moved to magazine journalism. She was Beauty Editor for Woman's Realm, then went freelance, and was appointed the first style and beauty editor of OK! Magazine. Over the years she has written for many publications from Marie Clair to Zest, and today is a celebrity style columnist for The Sunday Express. She also specialises in celebrity interviews for titles such as Vanity Fair as well as interior design articles for home magazines, and general features.After 10 years getting to know Thames Ditton from nearby Surbiton and looking for a house here, Tricia, Will, twins Alice and Heidi (aged 19) and 13 year old Henrietta moved into Garden Cottage, tucked behind the old Manor House on the corner of Station Road, just 30 minutes from central London where Tricia often commutes. The cottage with its secluded garden is a dream come true and restoring the garden will be a major project. Husband Will, from a farming background, is in charge of the vegetable garden. When asked to be Secretary, Tricia accepted immediately: "I value the effective work of the Residents' Association in the community, especially in fighting to protect our open spaces and the character of Thames Ditton and Weston Green. I wanted to be part of that."
Ruth Lyon