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Tot's Team
Every single holiday home is visited and approved by the Tots Team to give you peace of mind when you book. As parents, we also know that finding and booking a holiday is a stressful and time consuming process which is why we have a team of Holiday Heroes dedicated to saving you time and stress by matching you to exactly the right property for you and your family.
Join us: Visiting and approving holiday homes has been described by Practical Parenting magazine as a "dream" role! If you're interested in finding out more please click the pink button on the right which will take you to a new page.
Now, come and meet the team...
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Wendy Shand
Founder & Director
| Age |
37 years |
| Star sign |
Pisces (creative and at times a bit dippy!) |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate and Marmite on toast |
| Hobbies? |
Yoga and gardening |
| How many children do you have? |
3 |
| Names and ages? |
Barnaby 10, Maisy 8 and Monty 3 |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
The unexpected cuddles |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
Packed lunches – providing a healthy variety of food that everyone will happily eat is just sheer torture! Marmite sandwiches anyone..? |
| Where are you based? |
Tots HQ in Lincolnshire |
| What do you like best about your area? |
I love the countryside and pretty villages combined with the fact that we are still pretty accessible. |
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Rob Shand
Director
| Age |
38 years |
| Star sign |
Aries |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Nespresso capsules! |
| Hobbies? |
Classical and Jazz Piano |
| How many children do you have? |
3 |
| Names and ages? |
Barnaby 10, Maisy 8 and Monty 3 |
| Best thing about being a dad? |
The hugs |
| Most challenging thing about being a dad? |
Trying to do it all and stay sane! |
| Where are you based? |
Tots HQ in Lincolnshire |
| What do you like best about your area? |
The unspoilt rurality is really special. And Stamford is a very lovely place to work. |
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Penny
New Property and Agent Team Management and Tots mum for West France
| Age |
47 |
| Star sign |
Taurus, although I had to Google it, and apparently I am a typical Taurean, down to earth, determined and patient. |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
First day back to school after the summer hols, good book and pool to myself |
| Hobbies? |
Reading, Gardening (fair weather), DIY and my ipod. |
| How many children do you have? |
2 |
| Names and ages? |
Jake 18 and Lucy 13 |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
Playdough, paint and gloop, getting messy together |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
Having to put away the above and allow them some independence, freedom and access to my computer. |
| Where are you based? |
Charente just north of Angouleme |
| What do you like best about your area? |
Stunning countryside with lots of hidden unexpected treasures. Good food and Pineau. |
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Anna B
Tots mum for Portugal
| Age |
35 |
| Star sign |
Taurus (practical, generous and stubborn!) |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
My husband's very oily garlic prawns |
| Hobbies? |
Tennis, cinema, drawing, a good book...all things I don't have time for now! |
| How many children do you have? |
2 |
| Names and ages? |
Eva and Elise |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
The fuzzy feeling inside when she accomplishes something new and flashes me a huge grin. And the impromptu fits of mutual giggles!! |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
Being on call 24/7/52 |
| Where are you based? |
Estoril, Portugal |
| What do you like best about your area? |
The cobbled, tree-lined streets, dotted with beautiful, traditional mansion houses. Plus we're a stone's throw from the seaside, bustling resort towns, a world heritage site and natural park! What more could you ask for? |
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Helen
Tots Mum for Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
| Age |
42 |
| Star sign |
Libra |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Sneaking sweets and chocolates from the children when they are at school |
| Hobbies? |
Golf when time, running around the shops before children come back from school. |
| How many children do you have? |
2 |
| Names and ages? |
Poppy 5, Michele (Pronounced – Mekaylee, Micheal in English) |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
The sleepless nights and keeping the peace. Oh and playing with their toys so you can regain some youth |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
Juggling husband, children and work. |
| Where are you based? |
Northern Umbria |
| What do you like best about your area? |
There are not too many tourists and the locals are really friendly and helpful. The scenery is amazing and is similar to the UK without all the big towns. Lots of woodland and wild animals |
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Wendy J
Tots Mum for Languedoc, Aveyron and Pyrenees
| Age |
41 |
| Star sign |
Virgo |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Reading magazines... drool... |
| Hobbies? |
www.BritsNimes.com, Cross Stitch, Cycling, Gardening, Reading, Blogging (Goodness, I sound boring...) |
| How many children do you have? |
2 |
| Names and ages? |
Alicia 4, Eloise 3 months |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
Those funny things that your 4 year old says... |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
Once your toddler learns to say no, trying to get them to do something they don't want to do. (and trying not to reply 'because I said so'). |
| Where are you based? |
Lunel, Herault (right in the middle of the South of France) 10 mins from the Med beaches, 25 mins from Montpellier & Nimes. |
| What do you like best about your area? |
Being only 10 mins from the beach, 1 hour from the mountains and being so close to Montpellier which is fab. In May we have the most amazing wild flowers - absolute blankets of poppies which nobody sees as everybody insists on taking their holiday in July & August - come to the Languedoc in May - it's much the best time to come! |
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Anna C
Tots Mum for Home Counties and East of England
| Age |
37 |
| Star sign |
Scorpio |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
A massage or facial! and lovely girly catch ups over a glass of wine |
| Hobbies? |
Squash, dancing, reading, and being abit of a foodie |
| How many children do you have? |
2 |
| Names and ages? |
Esme 6, Louie 3 |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
The glorious cuddles and my 3 year old son's chat up lines- such as "mum, you're so gorgeous...smell me" (anything to avoid going to bed!) |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
the very early mornings and refereeing the squabbling! |
| Where are you based? |
Hertfordshire |
| What do you like best about your area? |
Semi rural with history, countryside and farms on the doorstep and a very social yummy mummy crowd! |
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Lindsay
Tots Mum based near Malaga in Andalucia/Costa del Sol
| Age |
34 |
| Star sign |
Leo (explains a lot!) |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Rupert Penry-Jones in Spooks (can't we do a JR on him??) |
| Hobbies? |
Gardening, swimming and visiting as many of the fabulous local fiestas as possible! |
| How many children do you have? |
1 |
| Names and ages? |
Sky 7 |
| Best thing about being a mum? |
Bursting into giggles together over some silliness or other, & weekend lie-in cuddles. |
| Most challenging thing about being a mum? |
I often wonder why they don't come with a 'how-to' manual! Our biggest challenge is learning to ignore strange noises from the neighbouring apartments at silly-o-clock when you have the most over-active 7 year-old imagination going! (DR Who is on a permanent ban, did someone get the scheduling wrong on that one??) |
| Where are you based? |
Just moved from Playamar in Torremolinos to Benalmadena/Arroyo de la Miel |
| What do you like best about your area? |
I love the view from my balcony, I look over three luxury villas (with envy), plenty of green trees (which I really miss about England), and a resident peacock! |
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Helen J
Tots Auntie for the Algarve
| Age |
46 |
| Star sign |
Gemini (versatile, rational and adventurous) |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Saturday morning coffee with the paper in a cafe in town |
| How many children do you have? |
Aunt to two nephews |
| Names and ages? |
Joseph now 19 and Simon 17 |
| Best thing about being a aunt? |
Luckily we lived close to our nephews throughout their childhood - their birthday parties are big highlights and seeing their personalities emerge was fascinating, especially when away from their parents.Most challenging thing about being an aunt - remembering to stick to the rules (most of the time). |
| Where are you based? |
Lagos, in the Western Algarve |
| What do you like best about your area? |
The Algarve is a great location for holidays in all seasons as there's so much to do here. I love Lagos because it's still a real Portuguese town which manages its tourism well alongside everyday life. Lagos old town is fascinating and we are spoilt with the number of beautiful beaches on our doorstep. I love the warmer climate, the outdoor life and the buzz of the busy season plus the calmness of the winter months. The best things are the clean air, the friendliness of the locals, the beach on the doorstep, the smell of the orange groves plus the infinite choice of good Portuguese wines. |
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Jonathan
Property Owner Support Team and Sales
| Age |
28 years |
| Star sign |
Capricorn |
| What's your guilty pleasure? |
Red wine and heavy metal |
| Hobbies? |
Guitar, Writing, reading |
| How many children do you have? |
Uncle to a nephew and niece. |
| Names and ages? |
Matilda 5, Barnaby 2 |
| Best thing about being an uncle? |
When they laugh at me |
| Most challenging thing about being an uncle? |
Trying to not spoil them too much when I'm babysitting |
| Where are you based? |
Stamford, Lincolnshire |
| What do you like best about your area? |
Walking down the street and saying Hello to so many people and them knowing my name. |
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