James Beagrie

Managing Director

Our founder and MD James has over the last 30 years travelled extensively across the world for both business and pleasure. After co-founding and building one of Europe's most successful Travel Insurance and Worldwide Emergency Medical Assistance Companies at 23, James topped off his Corporate career 15 years later as a Managing Director of Aon Risk Services UK Plc, the world's second largest Insurance Broker.

James sold his business and jumped the corporate ship in 2002. Further indulging his passion for travel by acquiring the Meon Travel agency business from First Choice Plc. In private hands since, the Group continues its relentless growth and enviable success with a global reach and unparalleled partnerships. As a keen pilot himself James' experience in Travel and the Emergency Assistance world is encyclopaedic and his passion... exhausting.

Favourite Destination: Pan Dei Palace, St Tropez

Karen Barnes

General Manager

General Manager and all-round problem solver, Karen manages the operational aspects of all the Meon divisions and has been at the heart of the company since joining as a saturday girl in the retail shop for her father, the then finance director back in 1978. Personnel, technology and supplier relationships consume most of Karens time but she still enjoys impulsively diving off to explore the latest hot destinations at the drop of a hat.

Karen has spent her life getting under the skin of the travel industry, understanding what makes things happen and how to create the unthinkable. Commercial savvy and a love for people and family mix to form a unique talent and an inspirational manager.

Favourite destination: Al Maha nature resort Dubai

Sue Miller

Finance Manager

New to the company, Susan heads up the finance team and has taken on the awesome responsibility of organising and restructuring the business to accommodate our relentless phased growth. Coming from a professional background at Vital signs and GE healthcare, Susan brings a new found discipline and fiscal prudence to a constantly evolving business with care and passion.

Favourite destination: Banff, Canada

Colin Boddy

Quorn Business Travel General Manager

Colin was responsible for bringing QBT to the Meon family. He is one of the most resourceful, focused and passionate people in travel that one can ever have the privilege of working with. Whilst he's a technical wizard, this belies his talent to talk for England. If you ever need to understand how to get the best out of the travel industry, Colin's your man and a guiding light amongst friends, colleagues and competitors.

Favourite destination: onboard a catamaran moored up at the K club in Barbuda

Natalie Straffon

Personal Assistant

Natalie is new to the team having taken on the horrendous task of looking after James! A dedicated mum and a thoroughly professional PA, Natalie oozes organisational skills and charm.

She has immediately demonstrated a spectacular talent for juggling priorities as well as teaching us all some fresh new IT skills. Welcome Natalie!

Favourite destination: Banff Springs Hotel, Canada

Sue Adams

Assistant Finance Manager

Our very own Minister of Mischief - it should be in her job description. If a surgical wit and chocolate for bribery are legitimate business tools, Sue makes the perfect assistant manager for the finance team. Common sense is a pre-requisite and Sue brings a ton of commitment, experience and expertise to an often challenging and highly regulated environment. She's great with people and drives efficiency, accuracy and support with a dedication to perfection and an infectious laugh.

Favourite destination: Pigeon point, Tobago

Helen Noble

Accounts administrator

Helen's lovely demeanour and delightful warmth of presence hides a will of iron and persistence to get to the nub of any problem or any difficult challenge that balancing the books may throw at her. Charming and caring, Helen ensures that everybody she supports gets the job done with minimum fuss and a smile to accompany. A sheer delight to work with and a rare talent but quietly gets the job done without drama or distress. A very special person and we treasure her greatly.

Favourite destination: Pollensa, Majorca

Penny Rodgers

Accounts administrator

New to the accounts team, we have high hopes and a wonderful first impression for Penny. She joins us from a career in the army followed by finance administration in a local Chichester business. We look forward to developing a mutually rewarding role for Penny together with her new found friends and colleagues at Meon.

Favourite destination: Sipadan, Malaysia

Kristy Wilson

Accounts Assistant

A total bundle of fun, she bounces round the office lighting up the day of every person she touches. Kristy has only just joined us in the finance team but she's already made her mark with ideas and innovation, contributions to efficiency and a new fresh approach to age old challenges. Always keen, always fast and always with a smile, Kristy proves the work-happy model gets the best out of suppliers and clients alike whilst making life easier for all with her accuracy, detail and relentless energy. Who said Finance departments were boring?!

Favourite destination: Tokyo

Judy Richardson

Credit control

Judy can talk for England and she loves every client and understands every individual and all their businesses intimately. Judy's a very special person with a huge warmth of presence that can't fail to touch the heart of everyone she meets. She's a problem solver, a helping hand and genuinely gifted at understanding people. She lives for her family and her grandchildren and deserves special praise for how she keeps the wheels on the debtor book bus.

Favourite destination: Kassioppi, Corfu

Steph Kinton

Accounts Administrator

The lovely Steph lives for her family and loves her work - or is it the other way around? One of nature's helpful people she supports the accounts team in Leicester with warmth and enthusiasm, and miracles take a little longer! Being married to Martin Kinton we think she taken a mammoth leap, just for the sake of car share!

Favourite destination: New Zealand

Kevin Pugh

Business Travel Manager

Never quiet, never bored, never without his team around him, you never see the wood on his desk for the wealth of papers and notes from all the people he's helping, managing or helping manage.

If you cut Kevin's arm, he bleeds QBT and the team rely upon him. He understands people and has a profound knowledge second to none for airlines, fares and systems. Never known to drop the ball and often there to catch for others, his weekend escape is his Leicester City season ticket and his professionalism is legend. One of the best people to enjoy the good times with and you wouldn't want to face any crisis without him watching over.

Favourite place: Darling Harbour, Sydney

David Frost

Senior Business Travel Consultant

David is a qualified referee and sits on the Leicester FA so he is fair, level-headed and thinks on his feet when sometimes under the most intense pressure. He loves the Far East and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Germany and has forged a lifetimes worth of friendships all around the world. David started in travel and has seen all the technology changes. He's steady, the first on the dance floor at a party, he's the bed rock upon which the reputation of the company relies and he loves his red wine.

Favourite destination: San Francisco

Kevin White

Business Travel Manager

Our very own quote master. Kevin relishes the hardest job of managing work flow and yield. Getting the best from his team and bribing all with his wife's fabulous cooking where many a staff lunch has been lovingly supplied by Mrs W. Kevin's warmth of presence envelopes the office as a comfort blanket and his nurturing will and intelligence at how to fire up every consultants desire to do their best is a marvel. A master to learn from.

Favourite place: New York

David Wheeler

Groups & Aviation Manager

A prolific writer and master of the English language, David's knowledge of routes, aircraft configurations and event destinations is the stuff of legend. He has a broad church of expertise having worked in the PR & events industry for many years, leading his own team and supporting individuals and event management companies finding exceptional value for all their corporate, conference and travel needs. From anywhere to anywhere in the world, juggling multi-national complex itineraries, David's mind works quicker than a computer and lives and breathes professionalism. Partial to a glass of red, David is a committed runner and a qualified Athletics coach.

Favourite destination: The ridge path of the Malvern Hills

Steve Kershaw

Senior Business Travel Consultant

The office David Bailey! Steve loves his photography and loves his gadgets. Hope you like half the photo's on the website as he's responsible for quite a few! Everybody loves Steve, he's happy-go-lucky and always has a smile even in the most challenging times (snow crisis, volcanic eruptions, etc!) Steve is great on the phone and he enjoys a loyal customer following who wouldn't dream of having anyone else look after their hard-earned travel spend. Steve is guaranteed to brighten your day and lighten the load of any travel need.

Favourite destination: Ayres Rock, Australia

Martin Kinton

Incentive retail consultant

Happily married to the lovely Steph in accounts, Martin is a Leicester city fan but this doesn't hold him back from seeking and booking the most obscure activites and fabulous venues for events, conferences and experiences ranging from power boat racing through wine tours and even cage diving with sharks off the coast of South Africa. Martin is a font of knowledge and opportunity from the sublime to the scary and he has an incredible knack for taking the hardship and expense out of any enquiry without losing an ounce of the mystery and satisfaction. Cool, calm, collected and courageous, Martin has a skill to inspire. If you ever want to motivate your staff with an incentive, you need to talk to Martin.

Favourite destination: Sydney Opera House

Juliette Warrington

Incentive retail consultant

Juliette is a diamond. She makes the most fantastic cheesecake, runs an allotment, keeps 4 children in line and contributes as a fantastic team member with a wicked sense of humour. We will never tire of Juliette's great customer service skills and wonderful rapport with her clients.

Favourite destination: Barbados

Shirley Williams

Senior business travel consultant

Always the first to volunteer when anybody needs support, the first when there's extra work to be done and the last to be dragged off the dance floor! Shirley helps out in other departments whenever needed and is a mine of knowledge, charismatic, dependable and happy to surprise with her depth of knowledge and attention to detail.

Favourite destination: Itamambuca Eco Resort Island, Rio de Janeiro

Angela Stevenson

Business Travel Consultant

Angela is great fun to be around. She's bi-lingual and loves to use her Spanish at every given opportunity, she has an awesome attention to detail and will forever go the extra mile for her clients. Don't give her chocolate, she has an infectious giggle.

Favourite destination: The Sunrise in Santa Eulalil, Ibiza

Tasnim Ghumra

Business Travel Consultant

Tasnim is a solid and dependable core team member. She specialises in oil and recruitment clients who are in awe of her speed to action and specialist fares knowledge. Quiet and reserved with a delightful smile, Tasnim is a rare treasure and a pleasure to work with.

Jane Cartwright-Sykes

Business Travel Consultant

A thoroughly dedicated and talented professional you could not ask for. Jane loves the company and the company (and everyone in it) loves Jane. She has the patience of a saint and an insightful attention to detail. Jane will go overboard, above and beyond the call of duty for her clients, checking in, ensuring the right seats, sourcing the right meals, booking the best restaurants and securing the best rooms. Caring and responsible, there's a wealth of people who rely upon her. This added to a lovely warm nature, makes Jane a very special person to work with.

Esther O'Regan

Business Travel Consultant

Scottish, fiercely patriotic, gifted and tenacious - it must be in the blood! Regularly travelling the country to visit friends and family and always, it appears, popping off to Dubai with her husband. Esther won't let go when she knows what her clients need and she'll fight tooth and nail to get all you want from your travel. Value, comfort, security and speed all come as second nature.

Favourite destination: Jumeirah Beach, Dubai

Rebecca Eversfield

Business Travel Consultant

Becs can eat for England and heaven knows how she stays so slim, it must be her metabolism! Becs is our very own home-grown talent and an absolute gem of a travel consultant. Quick on the uptake, spirited and lively with an infectious bubbly personality, it almost hurts seeing someone so good doing so well for her treasured clients.

Favourite destination: The Maldives

Tamara Rhategan

Business Travel Consultant

Tamara loves her freaky tea (Redbush) She deals with some of the most demanding client deadlines so how she does this without caffeine we've no idea! Tamara is thoroughly dependable, hard working, refreshingly honest and open. A good natured, dog loving star!

Favourite destination: Langebaan Lagoon, Cape Town

Kelly Robinson

Business Travel Consultant

Kelly is sparky and honest. She loves being good at her job and we love it too. Kelly can turn a hand to most needs in the office and she's always up for a challenge whether it's work or entertaining little daughter Daisy. A gem!

Favourite destination: Mauritius

Sally Willars

Business Travel Consultant

Feisty and bright with a shock of curly blonde hair, Sally bounces round the office brightening everybody's day with a huge smile. Fun and mischievous, Sally is a relatively new team member having joined us from the Co-op and she's settled into the team fantastically. She's a proven talent and constantly in demand from her clients. She loves her sports cars too!

Favourite destination: Kefalonia

Julie Moore

Business Travel Consultant

A recent new addition to the team having joined us from a great grounding at the Co-op, Julie is a good, solid, fun and lovely person. We first met her many moons ago on an educational in Mexico and we've wanted her to join the team ever since. She's got great attitude, she's always up for a challenge and first to volunteer whenever extra help is needed.

Favourite destination: The Fontana Bar at The Bellagio

Kelly Doherty

E-commerce & IT support

Kelly is our very own in-house IT queen. She's thorough, methodical, hugely talented and creative. Kelly enjoys an intimate understanding of best process and how to blend this with technology that works.

Favourite destination: Home

Paul Thompson

Account Manager

How do you get 'dude' and 'gifted professional' in the same sentence?! The downside is he supports Liverpool but we forgive him that as he happens to be a talented all round sportsman himself!

Paul is handy on the football pitch, good with a cricket bat and beats all challenges on the badminton court. This competitive spirit drives a tech savvy people person with thorough organisational skills and a deep seated command of travel. If you need something from the business, Pauls finger is always on the pulse.

Favourite destination: Perth, Australia

Linda Allan

Accounts

In loving memory of our lovely friend and colleague who sadly passed away on December 4th 2011.

Linda was the backbone of the accounts department in Leicester and had been with the company since 1999.

We will miss her laughter, her cheerfulness and her caring soul, her memory will always be in our hearts.

Lisa Evans

Project Accountant

Lisa is qualified, professional, gifted and thorough. She recently joined us from an accounting practise on a temporary basis but we refused to let her go - she's that good! Lisa brings a discipline and sense of urgency to delivering results that astounds the best of us and is great for keeping us on our toes. Enthusiasm, charm and talent when mixed with a lovely nature provides a compelling cocktail.

Favourite destination: Orlando, Florida

Jasper Timmers

Sales & Marketing Assistant

Young, new, keen and bright. It's heart warming to see such a talent flourish. Jasper has taken to the account management team as a new trainee like a duck to water and we are in awe of how quickly he's picked up knowledge to blend with his great communication and inter personal skills. A budding star!

Favourite destination: London

Josef Stevenson

Trainee

Talk about hit the ground running! You would not believe he's only just joined us as a trainee. He's picked up rail and has a speed to action far beyond his years. As long as we don't burn him out this one is going to be a keeper and the boy will go far!

Annabel Dargie

Trainee

Having just joined us a trainee, Annabel brings a bright and bubbly enthusiasm to everything she is tasked with. The whole team are impressed with her thorough and efficient ethic and we are all looking forward to seeing her develop within the business.

Tracey White

Business Travel consultant

Honest, reliable and hard working, Tracey is an absolute diamond. A steady pair of hands in a crisis mixed with a breadth of experience, the envy of many. Tracey is a great support to all the team and invaluable.

Kay Booth

Administration

Kay drives the invoice department and ploughs through an awesome volume of work with a cheery smile and never missing a deadline. Always on hand with tea and sympathy if needed, the wheels would grind to a holt without her.

Sandy Page

Business Travel consultant

New to QBT having joined us from Co-op travel services, Sandy has fitted into the team exceptionally well. She's a no fuss, no nonsense, all guns blazing travel specialist who startled us with her speed and how she hit the ground running to the sheer delight of her clients and colleagues. Sandy has impressed us with her get-go from the outset and we look forward to nurturing her skills and sharing in the fulfilment of a great job done well.

Favourite destination: Vegas baby!

Jude Wakefield

Repatriations Manager

Jude, with over 10 years leisure and business travel experience joined meon repats in 2003 and quickly established a reputation as a thorough all rounder with an amazing knack for getting the most distant carriers to deliver client needs and emergency support under the most extreme and difficult circumstances. Jude comes in to her own in the toughest situations with an intuitive skill for containing crisis blended with common sense when sense is not always common. A committed team player, driven and focused, Jude is one who leads by example and always delivers. Oh, and if there's a party... Jude's the one in the middle of the dance floor swinging her arms in the air.

Favourite destination: White Hart Lane

Sheelagh Bazen

Repatriations Manager & Mentor

With a huge wealth of experience running teams in the airline reservations sector, Sheelagh brings expansive knowledge and a vast catalogue of travel skills to the benefit of all around her. A great source of informed tried and trusted knowlege with an exceptional talent for drawing the best most professional performances from her team. Sheelagh is a rock upon which the foundations of integrity and professionalism continue to be built.

Favourite destination: Home with a fine wine

Kirsty McDonald

Repatriations consultant & Trouble shooter

With 12 years at Carllson Wagonlit culminating in managing the platinum team responsible for the personal travel for senior board members of the largest and most demanding multinationals, Kirsty understands all about attention to detail. Kirsty is responsible for training together with the systems and procedures that accompany the increasing demands of managing and institutionally sharing knowledge. Greatly respected initially as a trouble shooter through all departments with the challenges that accompany exponential growth the word 'no' simply doesn't exist in her vocabulary and Kirsty is relentless in the pursuit of nurturing talent. Kirsty has been instrumental in the development of the meon knowledge bank.

Favourite destination: Moon Palace, Cancun

Faye Tosdevine

Repats consultant

A local Petersfield girl, Faye is new to the Repats team having joined from the leisure department and brings a bright, bubbly enthusiasm and infectious fun nature to all around. Adept at digging out the best fares for the diverse needs of the emergency medical assistance sector, Faye's intimate understanding of leisure destinations gives her a natural flare and empathy for understanding client's needs when they are stuck in resort.

Favourite destination: Anguilla

Hiba Nassif

Repats consultant

Independent and totally committed to what it takes to be a brilliant repats consultant, Hiba buries herself in caring for the intimate of repatriation planning, demonstrating knowledge way beyond her only recently joining us. Originating from the Lebanon, Hiba thrives on the challenge to go one step beyond the norm and she is our very own "Speedy Gonzalez" racing to the phone to help with anything that she can. Whatever she does Hiba wants to do well and she cares - it's what makes her so special.

Favourite Destination: a night out in London

Claire Reid

Repats consultant

Specialising in out of hours and nights cover, Claire is the model of service perfection personified. Prompt, proficient and caring, Claire commands a huge wealth of respect from her colleagues in coping with the most demanding and sensitive needs at the most delicate of times. When you need a friendly voice on the end of the phone, she's the best.

Favourite destination: ...

Deborah Cooke

Repats consultant

Deborah loves her children, they come first. So in a family business, she's the perfect embodiment of the values we cherish. Repats is all about care and speed to resolution in a highly charged and sensitive emergency need. Above all we care and Deborah proves the point focus of attention and call to action are a pre-requisite to an exceptional repatriations consultant giving the best of the travel industry at value.

Favourite destination: St Lucia

Zahra Russell

Repats consultant

Zahra joined us from the airline sector having worked as cabin crew and travelled extensively, this has given her a unique perspective on assistance travel booking from frontline experience. A great people person with a wonderful warmth of personality and a helpful nature derived also from exceptional customer service skills, Zahra oozes an infectious personality and knows just how to get that last seat on that wait-listed flight back home.

Favourite destination: Borneo

Michelle Potter

Repats consultant

Michelle brings a happy delightful bounce to every working shift. She's versatile, experienced and staggeringly capable at digging the best out of systems and airlines at the most testing times. Michelle is always the first to offer support and the last to leave the bar! She enjoys a broad church of experience in leisure, business and repatriations and brings comfort to all when results are required within the most challenging deadlines.

Favourite destination: New Zealand

Lauren Hayman

Repats consultant

Still young but experienced beyond her years. Lauren enjoys a wicked sense of humour. She's an open book, funny, and had a great rapport with clients. This demonstrates a profound customer experience and interpersonal communication talent that enables her to exploit her extensive knowledge with smart, accurate and informative support. Lauren is a good strong team member.

Favourite destination: ...

Finn Marks

Invoicing and IT assistant

With a plan to develop his first job in travel into a career in technology, he came to us as a trainee and every day assumes more and more responsibility with a youthful vitality and spark. We have great hopes for Finn, his attention to detail and diligence in ensuring all invoicing is timely, accurate and correctly reported is a credit to him. His enthusiastic and inquisitive approach matches maturity well beyond his years.

Favourite destination: New York

Sara Chennell

Repats consultant

Strong-willed and loyal, Sara is Travel Bag trained with fabulous long haul knowledge and disciplined ticketing skills. Her friendly nature belies a steely determination of a driven specialist whom you can't fail to get on well with. She has us in stitches.

Favourite destination: Malaysia

Tash Barfield

Trainee Repats Consultant

Transferring from the Out of hours team, Tash has excelled herself with youthful enthusiasm and a knack for picking up training on the front line of a business where the need is always immediate. She's picked up the travel systems intuitively and her eagerness to please is infectious.

Quietly determined where nothing is a drama, she's great at getting the job done with a subtle efficiency.

Favourite destination: Riviera Maya, Mexico

Nicky Rushton

Nights consultant

Lovely, bubbly, wild and hysterical but very very clever. Nobody ever has a bad word to say of Nicky, she's one of those people in life that everybody loves. Wickedly funny and good natured Nicky comes from a background at Sun Sail booking flights and charters which lends a broad church of experience that she accurately and diligently delivers. An absolute 100%'er.

Favourite destination: Australia

Christine Millson

Repats Consultant

Young and full of joy Christine's background at Thomson's has proved a real asset from the get go. She's destination aware, understands quality, has great discipline and what she doesn't know about tour operators, charters and low cost carriers isn't worth knowing. Christine is the first one to tackle a challenge, she's super enthusiastic, super chatty and a lovely person.

Favourite destination: Great Barrier Reef

Katie Barnes

Trainee Repats Consultant

A whirlwind of a new trainee in repats and a delight to have bounding around the office with relentless energy. Katie's attention to detail and startling emotional intelligence give her a great head start in dealing with people initially on the technical services and motor breakdown side of the business. She's got a great future ahead of her and she's already skilled at bossing us all around. A cocktail of sheer joy, driven ambition with a sprinkle of talent.

Favourite destination: The Four Seasons Bora Bora with the Kardashians!!

Tracy Woodward

Repats Consultant

Tracey has recently joined us with an awesome reputation for super efficiency. She's lovely and chatty with one of those positive wits that endears you while you laugh. She asks the right questions, is keen to learn and sparklingly quick on the uptake. Tracey's computer tech savvy will serve her well as she picked up the travel systems and her fab phone manner has won over our clients from the outset.

Favourite destination: Barcelona

Christine Lima

Out of hours helpDesk Manager

Recently seconded to Meon out of hours helpdesk, Chris has fast-tracked through team leader to taking the helm as Manager by virtue of her intuitive and diligent knack for problem solving. Building upon a broad church of talent within a team, Chris loves people and lives the 'work hard, play hard' ozzy epic. Totally committed either to work or play, Christine intuitively manages the front line support of travel management companies and customers need at their most sensitive.

Favourite destination: Khasaon Road, Bangkok

Alison Brimson

Out of hours Account Manager

Alison joined us last year in the out of hours helpdesk as Account Manager once we passed the £350 million mark. She's professional and thorough and has a huge wealth of travel knowledge from corporate management roots for both small independent and large multinational experience. On top of all she's charming and knows how to get what our clients need from our business so she commands the respect and authority of all around her even if she is a little accident prone!

Favourite destination: Tuscany

Debra Morris

Out of hours consultant

Debra has recently been promoted to out of hours team leader having demonstrated her professional integrity and prowess in a very short space of time. She's brassy, brummy and always giving. Totally dedicated to helping other, Debs loves her clients, she's the joker of the pack in our team and she lives for her boys at home. She's a great asset to our clients and therefore the business.

Favourite destination: Hong Kong

Gary Lovatt

Out of hours consultant

A remarkably hard working colleague who will always go the extra mile. He's supportive, he's one of life's most colourful personalities and loves to party! Garry has an incredible comforting way about him and will stick with a customer until their need is fixed. He takes great pride in his work and we can't get enough of him.

Favourite destination: Barcelona

Justin Gowing

Out of hours consultant

Quiet and unassuming, Justin is thoroughly focused and a voice of calm in any crisis where organisation, speed and skill are a pre-requisite. A lateral thinker and problem solver when there's a need from abroad, Justin's the man to fix it.

Favourite destination: Machu Picchu, Peru

Michelle Thomas

Out of hours consultant

Michelle has just joined the team and comes from a hugely experienced back ground having previously worked for both small and large travel business. She's a welcome addition to the team and we look forward to working together.

Favourite destination: Santorini, Greece

Donna Bentley

Out of hours consultant

Having joined us in 2011 Donna is a lovely, modest but fun-loving individual with an eye for the arts. She loves the theatre, crime thrillers and the world of travel, second only to her little boy Sammy. The calm in a storm, Donna oozes an ease of serenity about her and this comes across in calming the most stressful times for those who savour her help and assistance.

Favourite destination: San Francisco

Jenny Senter

Out of hours consultant

Nick named 'The Whippet' as she simply won't rest until she gets the answer she needs and the job she wants done. Jenny's a pet lover with a dog the size of a horse. Hard working and supportive, Jenny will never let you down and is thorough in delivery and professional to the core.

Favourite destination: Sailing the Greek Islands

Carole Goldthorp

Senior Leisure Consultant

Senior Consultant Carole only joined us last year having previously owned a chain of travel agents up in Yorkshire together with her husband. Carole moved to the area in order to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren and having now sold the family business, just couldn't keep herself away from travel! Addicted to helping people realise their dreams with a tremendous broad church of personal knowledge on a wealth of destinations around the globe, Carole is our most experienced and highly regarded luxury travel expert. For personal advice, the best hotels and the best tables at the most delicious restaurants around the globe – simply call our Carole, she's a gem.

Favourite destination: South Africa

Angela Hallett

Administrations manager

Angela lives near Petersfield with Husband Pete. Having decided never to work in an office, she set out on her first world tour and got as far as Switzerland before feeling homesick. After two years as crew on a private yacht, sailing all ports sunny, Angela succumbed to joining Meon Travel for 7 years to combine work and pleasure. Having travelled extensively since and specialised in retail sales, escorted wildlife holidays and conservation, Angela now holds the administration together for our wealth of independent travel consultants dotted around the country.

Favourite destination: Mustique

Laura Elleker

Trainee consultant

Trainee consultant Laura is bright, enthusiastic and we have great hopes and expectations for her future in leisure travel. She currently assists both independent consultants and staff in all administrative matters and she's a whizz at finding tickets and information and steering people to the right consultant for best advice. A lovely bright cookie with a wicked sense of humour, we hope you will love her like we do.

Favourite destination: New York

Laura Cummins

Leisure Manager

Laura has just returned from maternity leave to the leisure shop. She comes from an Independent Travel Consultant background having worked in both retail and tour operations for over 17 years. Laura has travelled the world exhaustively from Europe, the Far East, Australia, North and South America and both lived and worked in South Africa and New Zealand. Much as she is the devoted mother, she still miraculously finds the time to escape herself, so feel free to give her a call for the inside track on the right adventure, the right escape or the best bar for a sun-downer.

Favourite destination: South Africa

Nicola Walters

Marketing Executive

Nicola started in the 'colouring in' department for a northern based air conditioning company and quickly rose through the ranks gaining the respect of all for her smart marketing skills and bright mind.

She gained a passion for travel in the marketing department at Carnival Cruises and a vast experience of the luxury end of travel at value. Used to hard tasks and imminent deadlines, Nicky oozes creative flare and has an eye for a bargain. Add this to systems knowledge and an eye for design and you have the recipe for the perfect Marketing Exec. Her two boys and husband keep her busy enough but as the saying goes, when you want something done - ask a busy person!

Favourite place: Borneo

Matt lovett

Trainee Consultant

Matt is quietly determined to succeed and enjoys the cut and thrust of work whilst absorbing interpersonal skills and systems training to great effect. The girls love him and he's got some killer moves on the Christmas dance floor.

While studying at college we're delighted to have Matt on board at weekends and holidays. Matt has now touched every element of the business through Leisure and on the technical services in Repats and is using this experience to further his knowledge to compliment his college studies.

Favourite destination: Turkey

Chris Simmance

Travel Consultant

As well as being bright, self motivated and enthusiastic also happens to be an academic 'tour de force' and a total Powder hound. If you ever need advice on ski resorts (and the best bars!) Chris is the expert. He has worked in resort and in the UK and brings an appetite for adventure to every enquiry. He also bought everybody 'shots' at the Christmas party and introduced us all to apres ski.

Favourite destination: Black Pepper Bar, Sestriere - Italian Alps

Belinda Brendon

Independent Travel Consultant

Travel is my hobby, my career and my passion!

I was lucky enough to travel as a child on some of the early European package holidays in the 70's which sometimes resembled a Carry On film when the hotel wasn't quite finished or the airport terminal built! As a family we graduated to Freddie Laker flights to America and I was bitten by the travel bug. I met my husband travelling and took my daughter on her first trip aged 3 months old.

My personal travel background encompasses many different styles of travel. I have travelled solo, in groups, with friends, family, babies and children. I have inter-railed through Europe, star gazed in Egypt, camped in Africa, backpacked through Indonesia, trekked the Inca Trail, and sailed down the Amazon. I have enjoyed Indian Homestays, Archaeological Cruises and luxury Caribbean hotels. Of course, I have also had my share ofMediterranean beach holidays, plenty of city breaks and a stint at Euro Disney too!

With 18 years experience in the travel industry, let me help you plan and book your next trip. I am an expert in navigating through the many options available in order to find your perfect holiday. As an Independent Travel Consultant I am not tied to a particular tour operator and can therefore offer you the widest choice of travel plans. I am an ideas person and can make a travel notion come to life!

As part of the Meon Valley Travel Group and with the buying power of the Advantage Group I can select the best deals to the best destinations, find the most competitive airfares and tailor-make a trip that suits your requirements.

My focus is on customer service, organising the right trip for you then dotting the i's and crossing the t's - booking a restaurant for a special birthday or VIP lounge at the airport.

So whether it's a trip to Australia, a family summer break or a long weekend in Paris, I can offer you choice, guidance and great value!

I look forward to your call or email.

Favourite travel quote: 'Just Go!' - Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet travel guides.

Lisa Bishop

Independent Travel Consultant

Providing amazing holidays and exceptional customer service has always been easy. Working out how to continue working within the travel industry with 2 young children was significantly harder!

With a background of corporate hospitality, I graduated into travel in 2001. Instantly loving the buzz and firmly knowing my experience of personal travel and arrangement making would create my ultimate career. I have travelled to many destinations throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Nepal, Canada and the USA. For me, the thrill of working in travel is not just about the places I have seen, it's the about the places I can help you see!

I have always prided myself on working for first class companies. Companies that go the extra mile. Provide an elite service and really know how to meet the demands of the client. Working from home with Meon Valley Travel has exceeded my expectations on every level. I look forward to doing the same for you.

If it's a flight required or a bespoke travel itinerary, you can be assured of the best prices and unsurpassed service. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than ensuring your travel arrangements are seamless and stress free.

Lyn Moses

Independent Travel Consultant

Travel has been my one and only job for over 30 years and the enjoyment I get from organising travel arrangements does not fade with time. I pride myself in the ability to ensure that all my customers receive impartial advice combined with a flexibility to suit all needs.

I have always felt that customers deserve peace of mind in having a personal travel advisor who is dedicated to deliver a professional service but with a personal touch and who will take care of all aspects of their arrangements down to the very last detail.

I have travelled extensively throughout the world in my career and have a wealth of knowledge which is passed on with pleasure to clients. Whether it be for a long-haul planned itinerary, family holiday or scheduled airfares I will offer an exceptional standard of service. One phone call or e-mail will ensure I find your ideal holiday or flight and as Meon Valley Travel are part of the Advantage Group they are dedicated in obtaining the very best prices for their customers which are passed on to me.

Steph Townend

Independent Travel Consultant

I have worked within the Travel Industry for over 20 years working for independent companies, multiples and more recently working from home as an Independent Travel Advisor for over 7 years. I have travelled to many destinations including America, the Caribbean, many European countries and have even tried the slopes of Austria skiing and in my early days of travel I managed the club 18-30 holidays, (not so sure I could now).

Over many years I have chatted with clients about their trips I have been researching and old trips they have already travelled on, this has given me lots of knowledge as well as my own travels of many destinations worldwide.

I have booked many weddings and honeymoons abroad for small and large parties alike. This again includes destinations from Cyprus / Greece to the Caribbean and luxury honeymoons in Bora Bora.

I enjoy all aspects of the Travel Industry whether I am researching flights within the UK or Round the World Itineraries. I love a challenge and I will always work hard finding the itinerary / holiday that suits all yours / your families needs and requirements.

Working as an Independent Travel Consultant for Meon Valley Travel has opened up more areas for me to achieve more for you as our clients.

Lesley Reeves

Out of hours consultant

Lesley is an out of hours consultant and experienced independent travel consultant manager. She has a profound empathy and understanding of what it's like to be stuck in awkward far off places in need of help. Never one to give up, Lesleys tenacity and problem solving nature have proven invaluable to many customers and her warmth of nature gives huge comfort in a crisis for which she is well known.

Favourite destination: Thailand... but off the beaten track!

Ed Texier

Independent Travel Consultant

My background is mainly in the water-sports holiday market providing windsurfing and kitesurfing holidays and experiences to locations including Hawaii, The Philippines, Greece, Africa and South America.

Being a passionate 'waterman' myself, I tend to home in on locations that offer something 'different' to mainstream destinations and ensure customer requirements are met to the fullest - this is of paramount importance to me, to ensure a personal, taylor-made service supported by expert knowledge.

Having travelled extensively with my family in my earlier years, I can safely say that travel is in the blood and that the words 'airport' and 'flying' are enough to get the endorphins going! More recently, I moved my business to SouthseaTravel@21, Portsmouth, where I hope to extend my product range to include flight-inclusive packages. This will enable us to package active sports adventures including ski & snowboard holidays and experiences all over the world. To me, this is an incredibly exciting area to offer to our clients and combined with our highly personalised service makes us a key differentiator from our competitors.

If its a holiday you are looking for with a difference and with the option of including action sports, then please drop me a line and I will be pleased to help you.

Laura Scholey

Independent Travel Consultant

Hello. My name is Norma Scholey. I have just started an exciting new chapter in my life by joining the team at Meon Travel.

For those of you, who don't know me very well or at all; let me tell you a bit about myself.

I have been in the travel industry for over 25 years! I have travelled extensively all over the world with and without my family. Recently my two children have taught me to ski and we have been lucky enough to ski in Europe, Canada and America.

When I am not working, I enjoy aqua aerobics, dog walking and I am a volunteer worker for the Hampshire Wildlife Hospital, caring for injured and sick animals.

My dream destination would be a trip to Borneo and see Orangutans in their natural environment.

By joining Meon Valley Travel, I will be able to provide you with excellent customer service and commitment to finding you the holiday that you deserve. I am available at a time that is convenient for you and your family.

Please call me and we can discuss any travel plans you may have for 2011 and beyond. I can then start to look out for information tailored to your specific needs and keep you informed.

Russell Macgregor

Independent Travel Consultant

Hi, I'm Russell and I have recently joined the Meon Valley Travel family as an Independent Travel Consultant. I'm based on the Isle of Wight and with over 20 year's experience in the travel industry I can offer a service that is not only professional and knowledgeable, but with an added personal touch of value.

Whether you are looking for multi-centre, a tailor made holiday or a more conventional escape, I have all the right valuable contacts with the best hotels and sources affording me access to great deals and offers and the added bonus of specialist expertise and personal advise at your command.

I enjoy finding the best for clients whom I regard as friends and I love to provide exceptional customer service as a prerequisite. Whilst sharing the wealth of knowledge I have gathered I treasure the great feedback too, so thank you and dont stop! Coming back and sharing your great experiences makes it all worth while.

I have visited too many European destinations to count but the Canary Islands has to be a firm personal favourite. I have explored the Caribbean extensively and can’t wait to revisit Trinidad & Tobago. For the States, the right Orlando experience is a must for the family even down to the best shows I can tell you all about. As a keen golfer I love working my handicap abroad given any excuse. I have visited & played so many of the beautiful courses in Southern Spain and enjoy creating some fabulous Golfing Itineraries for friends and groups. You just let me know when you need an inspirational destination!

If you are looking to get away now or in the future, please feel free to contact me by phone or email to discuss your travel requirements.