I first skied in Méribel in April 1987 and remember learning on the Altiport. From that week on I was in love with skiing, the mountains and the way of life in the valley. In 1991 I was lucky enough to join David Williams in partnership at Chalet Le Crêtet in Mottaret, having holidayed in the chalet in the intervening years. In 1993, after 13 seasons in various ski resorts, David decided that he had had enough and I continued to run Le Crêtet (and “Ski Crêtet”) with the aid of various chefs and chalet people. The 2016-17 season will be my 26th and the 31st year on skis!!!

In 1997 (and coincidentally, at the same time as meeting Karen) I took on my second chalet, Crêt de la Neige in La Gittaz. Since then we have grown further, gradually acquiring more lovely chalets that suit the excellent service we provide (and occasionally dropping those that don’t..). We have always wanted Purple Ski to stay “small and special” – as some of our guests have described us – and so remain at just 5 chalets, 58 beds and a small and focussed team – and we are, as ever, very confident that we can deliver a very personal and high quality service, and also have some time to enjoy the mountains too! Yes, even after 25 seasons I still love the life here and find the skiing exciting…

Karen joined Michael full time in 2001 from the Dell Computer Corporation, where she was the Director of Audit for Dell Europe. Before that, she worked at Heinz and Mars in various general management, manufacturing/people management and engineering roles. She has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bristol University and is a Certified Management Accountant.

Her first association with Purple Ski was in March 1997, when she was a guest in Chalet Le Crêtet. She has now completed 15 seasons. Karen focuses mainly on operations, primarily recruiting, training and working with the superb team of staff.

We are delighted that Hannah is back with us for her third season as Customer Services Manager. She has extensive experience in customer service and takes pride in a job well done. She likes problem solving, has great attention to detail and strives to make a difference. She is also very organised, hardworking, thorough, but also friendly and simply charming.

She also has a passion for languages having graduated from the University of Warwick with First Class honours in French Studies with Italian. Hannah is fluent in both French and Italian and has basic Portuguese skills; she loves having the chance to use her language skills which goes hand in hand with her desire to travel. She has used her knowledge and experience in various countries, adding to her language skills. She also loves people and socializing and her hobbies are very diverse, including skiing, hiking, cheerleading, diving, playing the cello and judo. It's a pleasure to have her back.

We are delighted to have Toby back for a fourth winter this season! Originally from Stratford upon Avon, Toby graduated from Bristol University with a MSci in Physics and Maths in 2012. Post degree, he decided he needed a bit more adventure in his life and spent a year travelling in Southern Africa before working in America at a summer camp where he returned for the summers between his seasons with Purple Ski.

As well as his 3 seasons with us, Toby has a great deal of experience in the customer service industry having worked for a large hotel group and a security company, working at major international events (He has a special interest in motor racing.) and also at summer camps in the US. Toby polished his snowboarding skills last winter and is hoping to get more off piste experience this winter.

Toby is responsible for making sure all the chalets have whatever food, drinks and other provisions that are needed, as well as keeping all the buildings and equipment in good order. Though mainly working "behind the scenes" you may meet/see him during the season - probably on changeover day as he will often be helping with luggage and transfers.

Ben lives in Devon and graduated from Plymouth University in 2015 with a BSc (2.1) in Biology. After a year of working as a development manager for a structural glass company Ben has decided to join us at Purple Ski for his first season, having not been on the slopes since the age of 12! Very much looking forward to learning how to ski, he is also excited by the prospect of getting to know the three valleys and seeing what opportunities may arise this season.

During his time at university Ben developed a passion for rowing and competed around the UK with Dart-Totnes ARC whilst aiding the development of his university rowing club and fitting in some time for a social life too. He loves meeting new people and getting to know what makes them tick.

Ben is responsible for general office admin as well as filling in for drivers and going on transfers throughout the week. Like all of our support staff he has a variety of hospitality experience but is more "behind the scenes" than your chalet staff, helping things run smoothly. We look forward to getting to know him better throughout the season.

Lorraine is originally from Edinburgh and now based in London, where she looks after all things accounting for us. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2000 with Deloittes and then moved to Sydney where she continued to to work in finance, progressing to a senior role in a large engineering company.

Lorraine left the beautiful beaches of Sydney behind her when she returned to the UK in 2005, and worked for Barclays Bank and Tate & Lyle in treasury and finance positions, prior to starting a family.

Lorraine now has 4 children, aged 8, 7 and 4 and 2, and is happiest spending time outdoors with them all, but somehow also manages to work pretty much full time during the winter for us too. She is one of the only members of Purple Ski who can not actually ski. But maybe one day!

The youngest and definitely the least productive member of the Purple Ski team - Max is a sweetie (a bit of editorial bias creeping in?!).

Very good-natured and also very chatty (he takes after his father), he loves skiing and, having been lucky enough to be schooled in Meribel during the winters for all of his life so far and participating in the Meribel Ski Club, he easily beat everyone (including his father) in the staff slalom competition at the end of last season! He also loves rugby, cricket, table tennis, reading, Harry Potter and Pokemon - and is currently obsessed with conquering the Rubiks cube.

While he loves skiing and has some great friends in Meribel, splitting his schooling between France and the UK wasn't a good long term option and so very sadly for Karen and Michael but much to his delight, he is now at a boarding school in the UK in the winters, only coming out during the long Christmas and Easter holidays and for 1 week at February half term. Nevertheless, we hope some of you will meet him during the course of the season!

Oh - and odds are still on for him to win the slalom competition at the end of this season!

Beck is currently our longest serving member of Purple Ski and is returning for her sixth season with us, in the dynamic role of Relief Chef ensuring that guests are looked after on the days off of the chefs, also managing the chalet staff and ensuring that standards are maintained in all chalets.

Beck is from Lake Cargelligo, NSW, Australia (about 360 miles west of Sydney) has a teaching degree, and loves working with children. She has worked in many different roles and sectors, some of which include managing a summer camp, working with children in care, teaching English as a second Language, being a villa host at a prestigious villa in St Tropez, teaching cookery to would-be chalet staff at the Orchards Cookery school and, this summer, as chef/hostess on a super-yacht based in the Mediterranean.

Beck has loved each of her seasons and we are delighted that she obviously can't resist the temptation to return each year. (Long may it continue!) She is extremely hardworking, a passionate and driven person who strives for the best in everything she does. She is also a very happy and fun loving, and thoroughly enjoys peoples company. Her hobbies include, water skiing, tennis, squash, netball and eating!!

Dean is now returning for his fifth season in the Purple Ski team. In his first season, he co-ran Olympie III in Mottaret, for the 4 subsequent seasons he has been/will be "Lead Driver" - effectively co-ordinator, supervisor, coach and mentor to the chalet assistant/drivers.

He has many years driving experience whether as a driver in the Three Valleys or in a fire engine in his native Blackpool (he was a fireman!). But his eclectic CV also includes working as an events coordinator for a charity, varioushospitality positions and social work.

A fan of all things outdoors, Dean is never happier than when at altitude, either with a board at his feet or hiking in the Lake District. He is cheeky, good humoured and low key, hard-working and very efficient, often going beyond what is expected to help with the seamless running of events. We are happy and proud to have Dean and his fun loving nature back this season.

Emma is also back for her third season as General Assistant, covering for chalet managers and chefs on their day off, also helping with purchasing and supporting the drivers ... and pretty much anything needed to help operations run smoothly!

She has a degree in History and Drama from the University of Glasgow which included a year of studying in Santa Barbara at the University of California. Before her first season with us (in 2013-2014), she was working in a busy Glasgow restaurant as part of a large team. Since then she has continued to work in hospitality, but most recently as a tutor at a cookery school.

Emma has also worked and volunteered alongside children in recent years through both babysitting and being a youth group leader where she would run workshops for groups of up to 15 children. She also spent 6 years being part of two drama groups growing up.

Emma is very sociable, bubbly, friendly, outgoing and approachable, also caring, scarily efficient ...and just lovely to have around. She is active and loves hiking and skiing...It's great to have her back!

Millie, who has a degree in Classical Civilsation from the University of Warwick, is joining us in a variable role - as PA to Karen she does lots of invaluable behind-the-scenes work to help with the smooth running of the company, but also works as a chalet assistant and supports the team of chalet assistant/drivers, helping in the chalets throughout the week and also doing airport transfers.

She comes to us with 3 years experience at the Whitbread Group as a waitress, barista and hotel maid across all their brands (a part time role she held from her late teens to her early twenties, whilst studying). She also spent a summer season as a full time, live-in Au Pair, looking after three children ages, 7, 5 and 15 months - an experience that she loved. Following on from these roles, she has 3 years experience as a venue coordinator and as a studio manager for a yoga company. Within these roles her responsibilities included communications and liaising with the staff and venue teams, organising rotas for yoga teachers class shifts, ordering equipment for the studios and stock for the shop, as well as logistics for out of studio events across London and the UK and maintenance of the studios themselves.

While she has never skied before, Millie loves sports (she was a keen rower during her days at university, being in the 1st 4 and 1st 8 teams) and leads an active lifestyle and so is confident that she will love it. She is always smiling, super enthusiastic, adventurous, will throw herself into anything. We are delighted to have her on the team.

Fresh from St Edwards School in Oxford, Sasha joins us this season in the diverse role of relief Chalet Assistant, covering for the days off of chalet managers and chalet assistants across most of the chalets.

Although only recently graduating from school, Sasha has some great hospitality experience; during weekends and holidays for the past 3 years, Sasha has been working for MJB Events as a hostess for large parties and corporate events. When not booked out for MJB Events, Sasha has been a catering assistant and waitress for Moveable Feast again working events such as weddings and parties such as gallery functions etc. Sasha has even had the privilege of working on a Mary Berry TV Series and being an assistant for Caroline Watson (stylist for One Direction).

Sasha describes herself as a foodie and enjoys cooking and baking as well as surfing, Pilates, sewing and photography as well as being skiing from very young age. Sasha is very well traveled and has excellent references, which we are sure she will live up to.

We are so pleased that Tommy is returning for his 4th winter with us, after a year away.

Immediately prior to his first season with us (2012-2013) Tommy worked for 6 years at the 4 AA rosette, Michelin star-awarded Boath House Hotel in the Scottish Highlands (Nairn, Near Inverness), latterly (2 years) as sous chef. His other experience includes other high end restaurants in Scotland - such as the Tor Na Coille luxury country house hotel where he was running the kitchens, working for private clients on the Cote d'Azur and, for the past 18 months, on super yachts in the Medditerranean, Carribean and South East Asia.

His cooking ability and flair was always superb (he was the runner up [2nd] in the Young Highland Chef of the Year Award, 2012) - and we hear that it has evolved and improved still further as a result of his recent experiences, but he is also a lovely young man - personable, hardworking, gentle and caring. Also very organised. Guests of Chalet Foinsbois are in for a real treat and he has a strong following with many repeat clients.

Siggy is also back for a third season, in the same chalet as last year but now as Chalet Manager, a role which she will fulfil with ease. An enthusiastic and motivated graduate (she is a very creative person and has a degree in Creative Arts: Art and Textiles - she loves knitting!), Siggy has a range of experiences; after leaving school she worked in a pub near home for a while before travelling to Australia where she worked for a year in a school and childcare centre.

Returning to the UK, Siggy went to university during which, as well as studying, she also worked extensively as a waitress and supervisor at various weddings and private functions and also restaurants including Jamie (Oliver)'s Italian Restaurant in Bath. She also worked for 2.5 years as a full time, live in, private nanny working for a high profile couple, caring for their twin boys in both London and France. She has spent this summer working as stewardess on a super-yacht based in the Mediterranean.

Sigourney is patient yet fun and has a passion for cooking. She is hardworking, very organised and with an amazing attention to detail. She is also extremely active and enjoys hockey, swimming, cycling and also attending the gym and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet. It's lovely to have her back this winter.

Susie joins the team this year from Devon. She has worked in the hospitality industry for the past 4 years in roles from a KP through to bar duties and more recently managing a venue. Susie worked at Burnicombe Farm Weddings, The Great Barn (an exclusive wedding venue) and the NoBody Inn (an AA Rosette Awarded restaurant).

After school Susie spent 2 years working through a Diploma in Art & Design (Lens Media) with great results.

Susie has been skiing from the age of 4 on annual family holidays, a lot of which were in the 3 valleys. Susie is also quite musical, having played the flute and cello in an orchestra. Susie is hard working, highly motivated, efficient, a great team player... and just lovely; a pleasure to have on the team!

Dean is back with us for his 3rd season, after a 2 year gap. As well as his 1.5 seasons with us, firstly in Foinsbois and then the latter third of the season in La Varappe, he has worked a ski-season in Canada and two part seasons for other companies here in the Three Valleys and so knows the area really well.

Having graduated with a degree in Zoology, Dean is passionate about nature and has an MSc in Ecology and Evnvironmental Sustainability, has worked for an environmental consultancy, volunteered for the RSPB and the National Trust for Scotland and led groups of volunteers in various conservation tasks (such as the removal of invasive plant species from woods), generally trying to educate people and get them excited about nature and conservation. He loves hiking, kayaking and camping, not to mention snowboarding off-piste. He says that this is his last ski season before he moves to Australia to pursue his career in conservation.

Originally from South Africa, Dean moved to the UK at the age of 15. Apart from the French ALps, he has spent most of his recent years in Scotland where, as well as his conservation work, he has pursued his love of music: he plays bass in a rock band and has recorded two albums (the second will be released in November).

Very laid back and funny, but charming and hardworking, he's always been a really popular member of our team and we are very happy to have him back.

Drawn to cooking from a young age, Ross has worked in London for the last 6 years. During his career so far he has worked alongside a number of brilliant and influential chefs who have helped him to refine his culinary skills, particularly within fine dining. He started as commis chef at the 5* deluxe Claridges Hotel, before moving on to the Michelin starred Bonds Restaurant where he was Chef de Partie under Chef Barry Tonks, Club Gascon (1*) where he was Senior Chef de Partie working under the inspirational Head chef Pascal Aussagniac, Tom's Kitchen - Junior Sous chef and most recently, Hix Oyster & Chop House where he was Senior Sous chef.

Passionate about cooking, Ross is highly ambitious, energetic and determined and has, over the years, acquired an aptitude for providing high quality guest experience for a clientele who demand and expect the very best. Generous and supportive, he is also a great team player and has enjoyed his leadership responsibilities and teaching others. (In his last position, he led a team of 10 in the well-established flagship restaurant of renowned chef Mark Hix.)

As well as having a deep love of food, he is passionate about the outdoors, sports, and skiing and sees working a winter season in the mountains as an excellent opportunity to combine these pursuits. He joins us with his girlfriend, Hannah Oldham, guests in Chalet Lapin Blanc are going to be in excellent hands!

Alice is taking a break from the fast paced London life to join us in the mountains this season. Alice has spent the previous 6 years managing Coda, the fine dining restaurant at the Royal Albert Hall and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the servicing and catering industry and comes to us with outstanding references!

She has a Bachelor Honors degree in Media Studies from Chichester University and has worked as a sales assistant at the Riverside Art Gallery and a head waitress for Leiths at Glyndebourne Opera House. Out of the ‘office’, Alice is a Pilates enthusiast and is currently studying to teach level three Mat Pilates.

Alice clearly enjoys life in the mountains as this will be her second ski season, 9 years after her first working for SkiBound. Alice is laid-back, hard working, bubbly and fun loving and we very much look forward to working with her this season.

Hannah graduated from the University of Exeter with BA (Hons) in Classical Studies and English before moving to London working as a nanny for a year, a position in which she had sole, full-time responsibility for two children under 10, and which she loved.

Since then, Hannah has spent the past few years working in leading Booksellers Hatchard’s Piccadilly & St Pancras in London and Waterstones Deansgate of Manchester, establishing herself as the duty manager and overseeing the children’s section. She has loved it - especially the busy and fast-paced environment in Piccadiliy and being part of a large team. In the hospitality sector, Hannah has waitressed at several venues including the Gelsmoor Inn gastro pub and done some events work, waitressing at private functions.

Hannah is an experienced skier and also has some French language skills which we are sure she can put to good use this season! Her other hobbies include climbing, running and obviously with her love of books; reading. Hugely customer service oriented, Hannah is friendly and outgoing, inteligent and curious, kind and empathetic - we look forward to her being a part of the Purple Ski family this season.

Ben joins us fresh from the University of Sheffield, having graduating this summer with a BSc in Chemistry. Throughout university Ben worked part-time for over 2 years as a KP/pastry chef and line cook for the Tunbridge Wells Hotel Group.

He has spent the past 3 summers working abroad in Greece where he has worked as a dinghy instructor, coaching high-performance monohull groups at an advanced racing level as well as beginner/intermediate instruction. Off the water, Ben remains a confident driver having had the responsibility of driving an array of vehicles!

Ben has a passion for sailing and wind surfing as well as being a confident skier having started at the ripe age of 4. Ben’s other interests include music (playing the guitar and drums), cooking, keeping fit, photography and video production. Ben is confident, hard working and sociable- a pleasure to have on the team!

Back for his second season with us (he loves it!), Dane’s career in cooking started when he was 15 years old and at secondary school, when he opted to work in the kitchen of a busy pub near his home in Sunderland for a 2 week “work experience” stint, basically expecting to have a holiday. He hated his first, exhaustingly busy day but then fascination set in and, 10 years later, he hasn’t looked back since! He worked at that pub whenever he could until he finished school, was offered a full time job and completed his NVQ there, finishing up – 4 years later - as chef de partie.

He then moved to The Seaham Hall Hotel in Durham, where he worked for 2.5 years, in the kitchens of their fine dining restaurant with 2 AA rosettes; this is where he says he probably learned the most, honing his technique but also his discipline and precision before moving to his favourite job (until now!), as chef de partie at the very busy and demanding kitchen at The Samling Hotel in Cumbria (which won it’s Michelin star and the title “Best Boutique Dining Hotel in the World” while he was there). Young, ambitious and passionate about his food he is always looking for new challenges and so for the past 2 years has done a lot of agency work many other high end restaurants, though often returning to The Samling when needed. He has spent most of this summer working as a private chef for a very high end client at his villa in St Tropez (cooking for celebtrities ...and royals too!)

His preferred cooking style is rather more relaxed than Michelin starred food, though he has the skills to deliver at that level. As well as being an excellent chef. he is a real people person, intelligent, chatty, funny and caring. His guests loves him and feedback last season about him and his food was outstanding. We are so pleased and proud to have him back on the team.

Work is very much his primary focus but he loves skiing and so he is really pleased to be able to continue his career and professional development while also being able to improve his skiing skills.

Bobby joins us from a 170 cover beachside restaurant in Sennen Cove, Cornwall, where he was assistant manager, working under chef/owner Ben Tunnicliffe, who has held a Michelin star for 8 years and who has given him a wealth of knowledge in fine food.
He is returning to the Three Valleys having worked last winter season at a hotel in La Tania. His other hospitality experience includes a year as front of house manager of a gastropub, also several months at a brasserie in Glasgow, a bus bar and Jockey Club Catering, providing silver service and private box waitering to high profile clients at some of the top racing events.

Bobby enjoys snowboarding, surfing and travelling; learning about different cultures and lifestyles. He is passionate about what he does, but also very laid back, friendly, caring and confident and we are sure that he will be a superb fit to our team!

Guy, who has just graduated from Newcastle Univeristy with a degree in English Literature, is returning to the mountains having done a (non-working) winter season in Whistler in 2012-13 followed by a summer season as chalet manager in Vaujany, France. He is passionate about skiing and the mountans in general - he loves extreme sports and is a keen downhill mountain biker (having competed at an international level), also a very proficient skier.

At university, where he was the social secretary for the rugby club and downhill captain for the mountain biking club, he frequently drove mini-vans of competitors and rugby players to events.

Guy has spent 8 years working part time on and off in a high end bike shop as Assistant Retail Manager and bike mechanic. In the hospitality sector, Guy worked for De Vere Venue in the UK, a high-end hotel and venue and the UK for Kalm Kitchen catering company, as well as managing two self-catered chalets when he worked in Vaujanay, France.

He is charming: honest, friendly, sociable, confident and always up-beat, he is also conscientious and caring. As one of his referee’s has said: ‘We believe he would be a benefit to any company.” - And we are sure he won’t let us down!

Glenn, from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, originally started studying Information Technology but, through a friend, ended up having a trial at the 2 AA rosette awarded restaurant at the nearby 5* Seaham Hall Hotel & Spa in Durham and after just a few days, fell in love with cooking and chose to pursue it as his career. He stayed at Seaham Hall for 18 months as commis chef in their two restaurants before moved on to other fine dining restaurants including the 2 AA rosette Library Restaurant at the Matfen Hall Hotel in Northumberland and the Samling Hotel in the Lake District (1*) where Glenn first met his friend Dane Williamson (chef - La Petite Pia)). For the last 4 years he has been working at the Charles Bathhurst / CB Inn in the Yorkshire Dales, where he was quickly promoted to Head Chef and earned for the restaurant its reputation for excellent food and it's AA rosette award.

A good all round chef, with Glenn has great self-belief, but always strives to improve himself and to learn. He is quietly funny, laid back and gets on well with everyone, also very organised, adaptable, a good problem solver and loves a clean and tidy kitchen! He has never skied before but enjoys sports - though the pressure of work means that he no longer plays much (he used to be a good rugby player - playing on the wing and also table tennis)

Looking for a new challenge, he is very happy to be out here in Meribel with us and we are very pleased to have him on the team.

Alice, who is also back for her second season with us, is a graduate from the University of Chester with a BA Honours in French and Tourism (where she honed her French language skills and found a love for hospitality). Throughout her studies she has gained a great deal of hospitality experience, both in the UK and abroad.

In the UK, Alice has worked at the 2 Michelin starred restaurants of Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford and the five star Chester Grosvenor Hotel and Spa in Chester. Abroad, she has worked in Ramatuelle, France at the 5 star Villa Marie Hotel, as well as working at the Reception of the 5* "Cour des Loges Hotel" in Lyon, France) and the 4* Radisson Blu Hotel, also in Lyon, France where she has become fluent in French and further established her love of language. (She has started learning Italian!) She spent part of this summer working in a private villa in France and then moved on to work at a hotel in Nice, on the Cote d'Azur.

Away from work, Alice enjoys skiing having skied throughout France and Austria on family holidays, as well as cycling and travelling in France and the United States. She is kind and gentle, also determined, sociable, caring and generous, ambitious and hardworking. She has a lovely nature, strong work ethic and very high standards and is a wonderful Chalet Manager, we are thrilled that she is back with us this winter.

Tom is returning to us for his second season; before joining us last year he worked for an airport transfer company based in the Courchevel and Meribel Valleys and after a season with us too, he is no stranger to driving in Alps and driving guests to and from the airport and to the slopes.

His other work experience includes 2 years working around Australia making use of his trade of landscape gardner and also working as a volunteer in organic farming, 2 summers working working in Pennsylvania, USA at a summer camp as a mountain bike instructor and as a self employed landscaping servicing contractor in the UK. He has spent the summer working in France for an outdoor activities company. He loves being outdoors, a hard days work and takes huge pride in his work, aiming to do everything to the highest standard.

He loves skiing, is also quietly sociable and loves the mountain lifestyle. He is also kind, caring and a real pleasure to have on the team.

Dan started cooking at 16 years old and his career has seen him progress through five fine dining restaurants, starting at Woolley Grange, a 4 star, 2 rosette awarded “Luxury Family Hotel” on the edge of the Cotswolds – where, after 18 months, he finished as chef de partie, and then 4 more high end country house hotels (Summer Lodge in Dorset (3 rosettes) - demi chef de partie, Cliveden House (3 rosettes) working under Michelin starred chef Andre Garrett – demi-chef de partie, Ston Easton Park Hotel in Somerset – where he started as chef de partie but was quickly promoted to sous chef and finally Gravetye Manor in Sussex (3 rosettes, 1 Michelin star) – chef de partie).

Always looking for the next challenge, he is now keen to try private chef work, hence this season in the Alps and he is considering working on the superyachts in the summer.

Dan is relatively new to skiing (he says he has graduated from falling a lot on greens to falling a lot on blues!) but likes it. Not usually very sporty (he says he’s always too busy working), nevertheless he likes being active and is very sociable. Confident (outwardly at least), hardworking, reasonably laid back, he struggles to talk about himself (at least, he wasn’t used to Karen's line of questioning!) but is honest, straightforward and very likeable. We are very pleased to have him on our team.

Lucy joins the team with over 9 years experience in hospitality, most recently working for an award winning countryside inn in Yorkshire for 3 years, but also working in event management for high-end clients in London. She has also worked abroad for 4 summers at a Summer Camp near New York as a Department leader where she was responsible for the organisation and training of 40 staff and has been involved in Community projects in Kenya.

She enjoys an active lifestyle; as well as being an avid skier, she is into horse riding, running, walking, swimming and even dabbles in acting and singing having performed in local pantomimes. Lucy is sociable, friendly and outgoing and comes with fantastic references - which we are sure she will do live up to!

Originally from London, Pete is no stranger to the mountains having worked 5 winter seasons as a resort representative and ski technician, then in a senior "head ski technician" position which he held for 2 seasons, in which he managed 8 ski rental facilities and a team of ski technicians, respresentatives and shop managers, all in the French Alps.

He also has much hospitality experience having managed a busy licenced pool bar venue in the heart of London for 5 seasons (during the inter-season) and summer hotel management work in France. His early work experience also includes working as teaching assistant with adults and children with learning difficulties and as crew and safety assistant at the Royal Albert Hall, helping wit the technical side of shows.

Pete has spent the past few years away from the mountains, working in media most recently as Television Media Manager at the BBC, responsible for managing collections of footage for various areas of the BBC's vast content, assets constantly in high demand by internal and external clients.

Pete met his now-fiancee Alice Brickell in the Alps back in 2006-2007; they have always wanted to do a season again, both always enjoying the mountains. He is hard working, dedicated, has excellent people skills - both as a leader and team member. He has a positive, "can do" attitude, is laid back / calm and always smiley - as one of his his referees said, we are "lucky to have him".

From Northumberland, UK, Sara is a Chartered Physiotherapist and joins us directly from her position as Senior Physiotherapist in the NHS in the North East of England. As well as her two years of experience post qualification, as a student she worked for three years providing massage at sports events such as the Great Manchester Run, also supporting various sporting clubs such as the Amechi basketball center, Manchester City Football Club and her university rugby team, providing maintenance and recovery advice/ treatment to athletes. She also has experience with land and snow sports at varying levels for people with physical and learning disabilities. She just loves making people feel better - and thanks to her technical skills but also great people and organisational skills, she has progressed unusually quickly in her profession.

As well as massage / physiotherapy, Sara has had multiple part time customer service jobs her years of full time education, including 18 months working for Manchester United Football Club as part of their VIP service for guests on match and event days which included both silver service and bar work.

Enthusiastic, someone who can rarely sit still and do just one thing, hardworking, chatty, generous, Sara loves experiencing new places and meeting new people. She started skiing just 5 years ago and loves it - and is so excited to be in Meribel which she consideres to be one of the best ski resorts in the world, and is very excited to combine her physiotherpy work with experiencing the French Alps. It's going to be a pleasure having her on the team.

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Hannah's life used to be very sports-oriented (she once captained the Dublin Ladies Gaelic Football Team and is an All Ireland Rugby Medalist); she initially completed a 4 year degree course in Sports Science at Dublin University before going on to Northumbria University from where she graduated in 2013 with a degree in Physiotherapy. Since graduating she has been working as a physiotherapist in the NHS for the last 3 years in the Northumbria trust, across lots of departments but most recently in the musculoskeletal area where she treated sports/soft injury injuries on a daily basis. She has also worked as a volunteer physiotherapist / masseuse over the years supporting various sports teams.

Very driven and loving a challenge, she loves her job - the variety of conditions that she is exposed to but also loves making a difference to people, nevertheless Hannah is keen for a new experience before progressing in her career within the NHS and is delighted to be able to continue to practice her clinical skills in a new environment - ours. She is very sociable, is adventurous (fearless even!), hard working, always active (think Duracell bunny!), very organised. Oh - and a keen, intermediate level skier! We are looking forward to having her on the team.