Staff

Here at Suffolk Secrets our staff are our most valuable asset - they are real people, not just telephone operators in a faceless call centre. We have added a Working for Suffolk Secrets page to our website which lists any current vacancies at Suffolk Secrets and also has many good reasons why we like working here! They all work incredibly hard to find the right Suffolk cottage to suit your needs. As every cottage in Suffolk has been personally inspected by our staff, when you call us you will be able to talk to someone who has seen the property and can (hopefully!) answer all your questions.

It is important to us to provide a quality service and we are always happy to hear from our visitors with ideas or ways to improve our holiday cottage service.

Members of Staff

Each member of staff has written a short piece about their favourite place in Suffolk (see links below), to give you some idea of some places to go or stay. Feel free to call us anytime and ask for recommendations, we are always glad to help.

Alex Paul – General Manager

As General Manager and I am delighted to work with such a professional and enthusiastic team. Suffolk Secrets has a reputation for local expertise and first class service and I think anyone that speaks to a member of the team will endorse this. The Suffolk Secrets team is always aware that our customers trust us with something very precious - their holiday time.Suffolk is a county that offers a huge range of people a wide variety of experiences which are available all year round – the glorious coastline, beautiful landscapes, historic and bustling market towns and a vivid history and heritage. To pick a favourite is always hard but I have a great love for the medieval town of Lavenham and the surrounding countryside of Constable Country.

Martyn Howard - Homeowner Liaison Manager

I am the Homeower Liaison Manager for Suffolk Secrets and have worked for the company since January 2007. My main role is to support our Homeowners in any way I can and have been responsible for recruiting many of the new properties.My favourite place in Suffolk is Framlingham. It is a beautiful medieval market town with a magnificent Castle, Church and College. Steeped in history the town has many winding streets to explore……what a day out! I feel very privileged to live in Suffolk, the open skies, the beautiful coast, the wonderful woodlands and the fantastic local produce that is always available. What more could anyone ask for?

Ann Dobson - Office Manager

I’m the Office Manager for Suffolk Secrets and my main job is to manage the staff and our three offices in Southwold, Aldeburgh and Woodbridge.I moved to Suffolk 25 years ago and I think it is the best place in the country!I have loads of favourite places, including Beccles, where I live, which is just a 20 minute drive from Southwold. It offers a good range of independent and multiple shops, along with a Saturday Farmers Market. The part of Beccles that makes it so special for me though is the River Waveney, on the Broads network, where there are birds to watch, a Marsh Trail to walk, and hire boats, private cruisers, yachts and canoes to watch.

Gill Simmonds - Reservations and VisitEngland Assistant

I take reservations, deal with e-mails and organise the VisitEngland Inspections for our properties in the Southwold and Sandlings area.My favourite place in Suffolk is the seaside town of Southwold. I love walking along the beach, stopping on the pier for a coffee, or walking across the common to the harbour. This is my favourite area in Southwold, it is so peaceful and in the summer months children enjoy crabbing or there is a little ferry which takes you across the river to Walberswick. It is beautiful just as the sun is setting and there is seating outside the Harbour Inn where you can watch the world go by! I enjoy browsing in the little shops in Southwold High Street and a lovely way to end the day is to have a meal and glass of wine in one of several good pubs or restaurants.

Len Hodds - Reservations Assistant and IT Champion
I'm Len and apart from reservations, I try to keep all our computers and printers working.Of all my favourite places in Suffolk the one I keep going back to is Shingle Street. Goodness knows why. There’s no Pub and not even a toilet but it has an otherworldliness about it: the kind of place that reminds us just how insignificant we all are.

Lorraine White - Housekeeping  Supervisor

My role is Housekeeping Supervisor and I liaise with owners and cleaners to ensure that each property is presented in the best way possible for our guests. I also work with homeowners to help them ensure each property meets the Visit England standards.I enjoy walking and exploring the heaths and woodlands around Minsmere and Dunwich. It is amazing to think that at one time Dunwich was one of the largest ports in England with a population of over 3000. Most of the houses, churches, hospitals are now under the sea and you can’t help wondering about the people that lived there when you stand on the beach. Dunwich is now a tiny village but it does have a museum that tells you all about its history.

Debbie Laing-Songhurst - Homeowner Liaison and Maintenance Supervisor

Working at The Old Water Tower is both challenging and rewarding. The advantage of working in a small team is that we all get involved in every aspect of the business. Whilst dealing with the daily reservations, my developing role is that of accounts assistant which involves all the administration, invoicing and charges to homeowners.I live four miles inland of Southwold in the village of Wrentham. Approximately 2 miles east is the most beautiful beach ‘Covehithe’. You feel you could be anywhere in the world when the sun is setting/rising and Hamish my chocolate Labrador absolutely relishes it. If walking is your thing you can follow the shore from Southwold to Covehithe, just remember to check the tide time prior to setting off!

Rebecca Snailham - Reservations and Photography Assistant

I joined Suffolk Secrets as part of the reservations team and am now also a Photography Assistant. I enjoy both aspects of my job and the photography gives me the luxury of exploring Suffolk and the delights it has to offer.My favorite place in Suffolk has to be the woodland nature walk in Gunton. It can be accessed from the quaint Parish Church that sits at the end of the lane and is great for dog walking and bird spotting alike. It also offers a route to the beach and houses lots of playful squirrels. The wooded area looks beautiful any time of year and the Gunton Woodland Community Project meet there most Thursdays to manage the upkeep of the area ready for the coming seasons. The woodland is also home to the odd sleepy field mouse, and no two walks are ever the same.

Stacy Phillips - Reservations and Housekeeping Assistant

My job title is Reservations and Housekeeping Assistant. This involves speaking to customers on the phone or face to face, taking bookings and generally dealing with any queries that they have. I also help with Housekeeping, doing any admin work and dealing with the cleaners.One of my favourite places in Suffolk has to be Orford. Young or old, it has something for everyone. My family and I love to go crabbing down at the quay, and going for walks around the village. My children also love to visit the castle and play in the castle grounds. There are quite a few good pubs and restaurants and plenty of nice places to have a picnic.

Ruth Chestney - Reservations and Housekeeping Assistant

I am based at the office in Aldeburgh High Street – a busy place with people calling in for brochures, customers calling in to collect keys and to make further bookings and owners checking on their properties. My job is to take bookings and to assist with housekeeping to ensure the properties are prepared to the standard expected by our customers.One of my favourite places is Thorpeness. Even a few hours there can feel like a holiday. The walk from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness is wonderful whatever the weather and a visit to the tea shop by the Meare is a must.

Angie Brown - Property Recruiter

There is always demand for good quality holiday accommodation in Suffolk and part of my role involves meeting property owners to discuss how Suffolk Secrets can offer a complete marketing and booking service for a property and how we can do everything we can to make holiday home ownership hassle-free. I also offer local knowledge to customers, take bookings, and of course deal with any queries which may arise.One of my favourite places in Suffolk is Aldeburgh. It is an ideal base for those wanting a peaceful seaside holiday with miles of unspoilt shingle coastline and footpaths. There are excellent pubs and restaurants, including the ‘famous’ fish and chip shop.

Lorraine Bolton – Reservations and VisitEngland Assistant

I am based in the Woodbridge office, in a lovely part of the town down near the tide mill. My role is to take bookings, help customers to find the right property to suit them.I also help to arrange Visit England Assessments , working with owners to ensure our customers get the quality they want. My favorite part of Suffolk is Woodbridge, a wonderful mix of old and new, lots of pubs, restaurants and shops and on a summers evening a stroll by the river is a wonderful way to end the day.

Jonathan Bryant – Reservations Assistant

My name is Jonathan and I am Reservations Assistant. This involves helping with the booking reservations as well as answering emails from either Southwold or Aldeburgh enquiries. Myself and my colleagues are dedicated to help guests find the most suitable property for their holiday needs. There are many places to explore depending on your interests. However,The Bird Sanctuary at Minsmere has to be high on my list as there is an opportunity for all to view wild life in such unique natural surroundings.

Cheryl Plant – Reservations and VisitEngland Assistant

My job involves reservations as well as arranging the VisitEngland Assessments for our properties in the Woodbridge area. I am based in the Woodbridge office, just a stone’s throw from the picturesque Tide Mill on the water’s edge, which is one of only five Tide Mills left in the UK.My favourite place in Suffolk has to be Woodbridge, a friendly historic town of great character with its interesting buildings, Museums and picturesque streets leading off from the Thoroughfare up to the Market Hill. There are many tantalising restaurants and pubs to choose from, not to mention all the lovely little shops. I particularly love it in the summertime, as the sun sets, to walk down to the riverside, over the station bridge and take a stroll along the banks of the Deben where one can hear the sounds of the moored boats bobbing on the water, as well as catch a glimpse of the river wildlife.

Kylie Ellis – Reservations Assistant

I am based in the Aldeburgh Office but am lucky as I get to go to Southwold one day a week, so I get the best of both worlds! Working in a small team means we get involved with various different tasks. My main role is to take reservations for our beautiful self catering cottages and ensure that our customers are booking a holiday that is as best suited to their requirements as possible. I also deal with customers coming in to both the Aldeburgh and Southwold offices, and this includes welcoming our guests when they collect their keys as well as people popping in with any general enquiries. One of my favourite places is Snape. There are many events that take place at Snape Maltings as well as lovely little boutique shops.