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Our Team

Here at Norfolk Country Cottages our staff are our most valuable asset - they are real people based in the county the represent and not telephone 'sales' operators in a faceless call centre. They all work incredibly hard to find the right Norfolk holiday cottage to suit your needs. All of our Norfolk holiday homes have been personally inspected by our staff, when you call us you will be able to talk to someone who has seen the cottage in Norfolk and can (hopefully!) answer all your questions. It is important to us to provide a quality service and we are always happy to hear from our visitors with ideas or ways to improve our service. Here are all the lovely people who work at Norfolk Country Cottages. Click on people's names and find out what they do and why they love living in Norfolk so much.

The Management Team

Managing Director

Richard Ellis

Richard Ellis

Favourite Place

The Broads

Richard Ellis started Norfolk Country Cottages in January 1992 with his wife, Lesley Ellis in a room at their cottage in Reepham. Having trained as an accountant and worked in large companies, Richard wanted to develop his own business based on a strong set of personal values about quality of service, attention to detail, valuing and respecting people as well as playing an active and responsible role in the community and environment in which we are based. Richard and his team, between them, are very active in local community affairs with the belief that "you can't have a business without a community and you can't have a community without business". Richard himself is involved as a Trustee or Board Member of the Norwich Theatre Royal, The Forum Trust, and Holt Festival. He is Chair of Sheringham Little Theatre and of Visit East Anglia and a Council Member at Norwich University of the Arts. He chaired the East of England Development Agency from 2003 – 2010. Richard has been involved in many other local organisations such as Business in the Community and their Market Town Regeneration initiatives as well as chairing the Broadland Business Forum and the East of England Sustainable Development Round Table and Arts & Business East.

Director

Lesley Ellis

Lesley Ellis

Favourite Place

The Broads

Lesley, with husband Richard, was involved in the early days when Norfolk Country Cottages was created in the family home at Reepham. She, at that time, was also working as an Occupational Therapist in the NHS and caring for a small child! When Hannah was born and the office moved to Carlton House in Reepham she decided to step back and be a full time mother. In the last few years, with the decision to open an office in Holt, she oversaw the renovation of The Old Crab Shop and still takes a keen interest in the business.

Operations Director

Irene Alexander

Irene Alexander

Favourite Place

Burnham Market

Irene moved from Scotland to Norfolk in the late eighties and joined Norfolk Country Cottages in 1996. Initially Operations Manager and later a Director of NCC, she held various management posts in other service industries before joining the company. She recently stood down from the Executive of the Norfolk Tourism Partnership after 6 years but is still Chair of the Norfolk Holiday Cottage Association. Irene's responsibilities include ensuring the day-to-day operational activities of the business run smoothly.

Marketing Director

James Ellis

James Ellis

Favourite Place

Brancaster

James joined the company in December 2002 as the company's Marketing and IT Manager and was made a Director in January 2005. He joined NCC having previously worked in the field of IT & Computing and later moving into Sales & Marketing roles. As well as overseeing the Marketing and Advertising within the business, James also looks after the IT systems development. In his time here, James has designed & developed a new booking and administration system for NCC to help the company maximise the use of IT and websites and to maintain the excellent level of service that both our customers and homeowners have come to expect. James is active in various local business organisations and sits on the Norwich Chamber of Commerce Council, as well as being an active member of the Marketing Committee for VisitNorwich.

Finance Director

Paul Temple

Paul Temple

Favourite Place

Holt

Paul joined the company in June 2008 as the company's Financial Controller and was made Finance Director in June 2009. He joined NCC having previously worked for Hoseasons for 26 years, rising from assistant accountant to Finance Director, Commercial Director and Company Secretary. He brings with him a wealth of experience that has been put to the test in incorporating the finances of the latest acquisitions into the growing portfolio. Paul lives in Suffolk and is an ardent supporter of Southwold Rugby Club now that his playing days are over. He has two sons, Charlie and Tommy who are keen footballers.

Liaison Board Member

David Court

David Court

Favourite Place

North Norfolk Coast

David Court joined the company in February 1996. Formerly Managing Director of Blakes Holidays and Chairman of the East Anglia Tourist Board from 1990 - 1996, David brings a wealth of experience within the holiday industry to NCC.

General Manager

Heather McCraith

Heather McCraith

Favourite Place

Thetford Forest

Heather McCraith has been with NCC since 1997. During that time she has enjoyed a variety of roles including Accounts Administrator. However, it is her current role within the company that she enjoys the most. Heather would agree that she is passionate about excellent customer service, a quality product and delivering this for the mutual benefit of homeowners and customers. Heather is also a qualified Visit England assessor thus enabling her to advise Homeowners on the criteria of the scheme. She loves looking at properties in all shapes and sizes and considers herself very lucky that she gets to do this in a county as lovely as Norfolk.

The Reservations Team

Reservations Team Manager

Chrissie Pickard

Chrissie Pickard

Favourite Place

Holt

Chrissie joined NCC in October 2009 with a background in Market Research and Call Centre management. She has lived in Norfolk for nearly thirty years so hopes by now she qualifies as a ‘local’. Her hobbies are ironing and housework but unfortunately her work at NCC leaves her almost no time for these. What little spare time she does have she is forced to spend in local hostelries and restaurants doing extensive research on your behalf.

Helen Nattriss

Helen Nattriss

Lesley Cooke

Lesley Cooke

Linda Downes

Linda Downes

Suzanne Lee

Suzanne Lee

Maria Di-Biasio

Maria Di-Biasio

Rosemary Payne

Rosemary Payne

Jo Clements

Jo Clements

The Homeowner Team

Homeowner Manager

Liz O'Neill

Liz O'Neill

Favourite Place

Burnham Overy Staithe

One of my favourite places in Norfolk is Burnham Overy Staithe. Arrive early on a sunny morning and park on the staithe, head out towards the sea on the coast path. This runs along the top of the raised sea defence, to the left you have the salt marsh and the creek coming in from the sea, to the left are the fresh water grazing marshes bordered by the River Burn, if you are lucky you may see a barn owl quartering the marsh. A mile and half ‘s walk will bring you to sand dunes, the path goes onto a boardwalk for a little while, but then it’s on to the soft sand, not for the faint hearted. However a reward awaits you once you top the last dune, spread before you is a white beach and a turquoise sea which will rival any in the Caribbean, although admittedly it’s not likely to be as warm !

Richard Sigger

Richard Sigger

Kim Lovick

Kim Lovick

Alison Buck

Alison Buck

Jacky Barstow

Jacky Barstow

Annabel Roff

Annabel Roff