I was born in North Wales around the Shotton steelworks. I had a happy childhood and eventually met my husband Michael in the early 70’s when I took an incredible but very dusty two-week trip on a ‘safari bus’ from the UK to Morocco. Michael was the driver and we formed a lasting relationship in spite of both of us being at separate universities- Michael in Newcastle and myself at Southampton. 

Post university we married in Hong Kong as Michael was working there for a refrigeration company. I ended up working for the HK automobile association and taught English as a foreign language to Chinese students at HK university’s extra mural department. English was not part of the curriculum at the time and it was a highly sought-after qualification. I taught many of the middle class in HK including the police, senior secretaries, accountants and civil servants.

I have always been very embracing of life- the alternative is dying and I don’t fancy that!

~Gillian Starkey

After four very happy years we both came back to the Midlands in the UK to join the family business- Starkey’s Fruit Farm in Norwood. I missed the warmth and humidity of my travels and found the UK cold and damp. Trent Valley was not a great place to relocate to and totally landlocked which was harsh, and I suffered sinusitis for the first time in my life. My first child Edward had been born in Hong Kong and it was a very challenging time all round as I was additionally suffering from postpartum depression which in those days was not diagnosed, much less treated. New mothers were simply expected to soldier on. From living a carefree life in Hong Kong I found myself carefully managing a tighter purse string and raising a family alongside supporting the family business. My daughter Isabella was born a few years later.  

I have always worked and continue to do so to this day. Using my civil service background as an anchor, I have worked in people-facing organisations such as museums, libraries, tourist information and a host of voluntary work. I am currently a Library Service Advisor which involves books and people so what could be nicer?

During the pandemic I pivoted to home deliveries and found that very rewarding as you can really light up someones’ day, especially in these uncertain times. 

~Gillian Starkey

I suffer from spondylitis on discs 5,6 and 7 at the top of the spine. As a result and through bad posture the muscles on the shoulder frequently go into spasms to try and protect the spine. My daughter Isabella told me about the Dermactiva trials as I’m not in favour of more conventional chemical intervention. I had previously read a lot of material on Hemp and Cannabis so was really happy to try the product. I also have arthritis on my thumb and couple of fingers on right my hand. If things get unbearable I take an aspirin and that’s it. I also practice yoga and have my shoulders massaged out when things get too bad.  

I found that the cooling gel certainly helped with muscle spasms and better mobility on my neck, and the warming cream really helped with my thumb and therefore grip so i was able to improve on the time I can spend gardening. 

Any last words of wisdom you’d like to share with the Dermactiva community? 
Exercise outdoors is quadrupley vital- you need that serotonin boost no matter what the weather! And.. wake up and smile because you’re still alive!