After becoming the first woman to make Partner in a London Executive Search Firm, Lucy decided it was time to do something a bit different. So she packed away her suit, exchanged it for a pair of Morris Dancing hankies and some vampire fangs and decided to write a book.
Over the past year, Lucy has been working her way through a self-penned A-Z of British Subculture - from Aristocrats, Battle Re-enactors and Circus Performers to Xtreme Sport Fanatics, Yogi's and 'Zeitgeist' Political Activists - spending a week with each group, learning about their rituals and customs and joining in at every opportunity
As part of her project, Lucy found her way into the heart of the Naturist community (N is for Naturists) at Alton Towers. She enjoyed herself thoroughly, breaking through the awkwardness barrier early on in the weekend and throwing herself into all of the activities the weekend had to offer. "I was made to feel very welcome and simply cannot evangelise enough about my experience" she said, "it has given me so much more confidence in my own skin and I cannot thank the community enough".
"I have found myself in some pretty incredible and bizarre situations", Lucy says, "but writing this book has also taught me some valuable lessons about the importance of community in an increasingly isolating society, about the unquenchable human thirst for a sense of belonging, and about the misguided trust we put in our own prejudice. It has offered me a whole new perspective on the world, the sort of perspective you only really find during the downward facing dog of a naked yoga class".
You can follow Lucy's adventure at http://alphabetbritain.com, where you will also find details of the release date for her full-length book next year.