Who we are
Takethefamily is made up of a wide range of people and talents - Mums, Dads, Aunties, Uncles, writers, experts, business minds and even a qualified goat milker.
We love taking our families on holiday. And we’re dedicated to helping you do the same. So, here’s who we are, where we come from and what we like…
Lucy Ace, Slave Driver and Managing Director
With 10 years experience in the hotel, hospitality and technology industries AND 2 young children, no one is better placed to run Take the Family on a day-to-day basis than the fragrant Lucy Ace. Lucy brings vital qualities such as hard work, organisation and more than her fair share of enthusiasm. Lucy is the captain and runs a tight ship with a firm hand on the tiller. Press spokesman and our public face, Lucy is the person to contact if you want to speak to us. Whenever any of us are low, one thing’s for sure… Ace is high!
Sam Redmond-Lyon, Chief Geek & Director of Information
Double-barreled, single-minded and triple jointed, the multi-talented Sam Redmond-Lyon is takethefamily's chief travel expert, moderator and more or less everything else besides. Having travelled widely across Africa, Asia and the USA, Sam has finally settled in rural Somerset with partner and golden retriever where she spends her time developing our website, her vegetable garden and her unrivalled knowledge of family travel destinations. Her two surnames are only matched by her two brains, which allow her to be as scientific as she is artistic. A one time product designer, mechanical design engineer and goat milker, we're thrilled that Sam is lending her many talents to our efforts at takethefamily. This vegetable growing travel expert certainly knows her onions.
Rhonda Carrier, Head of Content
Rhonda Carrier, our head of content, is without doubt the ‘write’ woman for the job. A one-time editor of The Guinness Book of Records, Rhonda could easily be holder of the record for greatest contribution to travel writing having worked for Frommer’s (the ‘With the Kids’ and ‘With your Family’ series), Time Out, Lonely Planet, Everyman/Gallimard, Cadogan amongst others. Having studied in Paris, worked as an interpreter and English teacher in Hong Kong, and generally ventured far and wide, she is now settled in south Manchester, though she continues to travel frequently with her long-suffering family – horror novelist Conrad Williams and their three young sons, Ethan, Ripley and Zac. When she’s not giving you the facts, Rhonda also spends time on the fiction – having written some award-winning short stories and recently has completed her first novel, The Penfriend. She’s our very own Holiday Booker Prize Winner.
Two of the four founders remain closely involved as Directors (while the other two, Steve Wallis and Therese Stowell, have moved on to spend more time with their families!
Andy Cook, Director and Business Brain
Andy has extensive travel industry and management consultancy experience. He holds an MBA from New York’s Columbia Business School and has lived and worked in numerous countries in Europe, North America and Asia. In 2003 he was unable to find ideas for family holidays that would last a lifetime in one place on the web and under a year later Take the Family was born.
Sam Cartmell, Director and Writing Bloke
Following 4 years in journalism, including a stint on The Sun, Sam moved to Hong Kong where he became an advertising copywriter and helped to relaunch Cathay Pacific Airways worldwide. Back in England, Sam now works at The Red Brick Road - an ad agency he co-founded with five partners in March 2006. Clients include Tesco and Heineken. He has also created award-winning websites for Mini and Peperami. Sam is married with three young daughters. The big fella enjoys rugby and is currently on a diet. Have you finished with those crisps?
Now, that's enough about us, what about you? If you're looking for inspiration about where to go, or you'd like to check our special offers and possibly book a holiday or more, or you just want to have some questions answered about the complexities of family travel....hopefully we can help you and, wherever you end up going, bon voyage!
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