Fay began life as the youngest of four children in Blackburn, West Lothian, a small town situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, a place which subsequently became best known as the birthplace of singer Susan Boyle, who rose to fame on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. 

Fay’s adventurous nature was inherited from her parents, who made the bold decision to relocate to India in 1974 when she was just five years old. The family were based in Madras (now known as Chennai), where her father worked on a joint venture between General Motors and Hindustan Motors, manufacturing earth-moving equipment. Her older siblings attended boarding school in the hill station of Ooty while Fay and one of her brothers remained in Madras with their parents. It was a brave move for a family of six, and it proved to be a magical and a pivotal life experience for young Fay. The experience opened her eyes to the wider world, and she was enchanted by India’s vibrancy, blue skies and cultural richness. Fay describes India as “one of the most colourful places in the world” due to the beautiful sarees, painted trucks adorned with flower garlands and more. Rather than experiencing culture shock, Fay thrived. She vividly remembers her first sight of elephants, taking autorickshaws - the Indian equivalent of a tuk-tuk - and visiting the Taj Mahal, some of her fondest childhood memories.  She first attended a British international school but found herself ahead of her classmates, so her parents moved her to an English-speaking Indian school run by a German woman where she formed many international friendships, laying the foundation for her globally-connected adult life. 

After their time in India, the family returned to Scotland. Fay was still shy and quiet, though very studious, especially in mathematics and science. One of her hobbies was dressmaking, first for her dolls, then for herself and eventually for friends. Fay’s grandmother nurtured this early passion for fabrics and design. The Scottish school system refused to let her study Textiles due to her academic standing, instead assigning her to study German. Fay is grateful for many people and things which had a positive impact on her life, one being the kindness of the Textiles teacher who allowed Fay to use the classroom and sewing machines during lunch breaks, so she could follow her passion, despite not being enrolled on the textiles course. At the end of secondary school, Fay staged a fashion show of her own designs, donating the proceeds to a charity for handicapped children, a demonstration that while kindness is free, money can also make a difference. The highlight of the evening was when some disabled children took to the catwalk wearing clothing designed by Fay and customised to meet their own individual needs.

Fay pursued a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Textile and Clothing Technology at the Scottish College of Textiles, a faculty of Herriott Watt University, involving three years of study and a further year of industrial placement. Fay’s interest in the course had been enough for her school to call her parents in to discuss the issue. Fay was told this choice was going to be the biggest mistake of her life and is deeply grateful that her father went into bat for her, telling the staff that they didn’t know his daughter and that her passion would make her successful. After graduation, Fay began postgraduate studies in Business Administration before securing herself a job in quality management in northern England, technically moving abroad for the second time. Fay worked for the company for twelve or so years, receiving a thorough grounding in all areas of the clothing industry, including sportswear as the company supplied Marks & Spencer, notorious for their high quality and technical standards at that time.

Fay has had a long affinity with SE Asia, and by 2005 she had decided she wanted to leave Britain behind for a climate more conducive to her love of water sports.  She and her brother had both been competitive swimmers since childhood, a passion first ignited in India. Her father had also taught her to body-surf, and she later became a qualified scuba diver. In February 2005, she took a job with Adidas as Head of Technical Services based in Jakarta. Less than a year later, she was promoted to Regional Head of Technical Services, overseeing operations across South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The role expanded her knowledge of sports fabrics and allowed her to indulge her love of travel and multicultural collaboration. Jakarta remains close to Fay’s heart; not for its physical beauty, but for its warmth and generosity of spirit.

Fay moved to Bali to reset and recover, intending to take a year off for beach walks with her dogs and lots of diving. Just three weeks in, she knew she would stay much longer. That one year turned into fourteen. She began consulting for major fashion retailers including Next, Talbots, and Sport Master (Russia’s largest sportswear retailer) as well as several Indonesian manufacturers. A long-term relationship with Sport Master led her to spend several months in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to guide production and quality remotely. She also founded her own company, The Blue Azure, which continues to provide custom apparel for water sports businesses, drawing on her deep technical knowledge of performance fabrics.

One of her proudest achievements is the development of an innovative biodegradable polyester fabric, in collaboration with an Indonesian supplier. While most polyesters can take centuries to degrade, this one breaks down by 80% in typical landfill conditions within just a few years. Initially used for rash guards, she is now testing the material for wetsuits and exploring the integration of adaptive fabric technology, which maintains comfort in both warm and cooler water temperatures. A diver who trialled the prototype at 21°C was initially sceptical but later refused to return to standard wetsuits, the kind of feedback Fay had hoped for. Her vision is to perfect the design, then work with her graphic designer, one of five loyal team members in Indonesia, to turn it into a wetsuit that is both functional and beautiful. She is now eyeing the markets of Australia and the Maldives.

Fay’s connection to Hua Hin, Thailand, dates back to 2002 when she visited over Christmas and New Year. She had originally planned a Bali trip, but the tragic bombings in October led her to reroute to Bangkok and Hua Hin instead. She fell in love with the area’s easy charm. Later trips, including a scenic train journey from Singapore to Chiang Mai, strengthened the connection. By 2023, disillusioned by Bali’s overdevelopment and pollution, Fay made the decision to relocate permanently. She chose Hua Hin for its balance of beach and mountain, its supportive community, and its easy access to Bangkok for travel. Hua Hin would be perfect, were it not for the rubbish dumped in the countryside, which she encounters on her daily walks with her two beloved rescue dogs Joey and Lexi, one missing an ear and the other a front leg.

Describing herself as spiritual, Fay is on a life-long journey of learning and healing, arising in part out of her desire to use all her skills to help others. Teenage Fay would never have predicted that her older self would become so interested in healing, yet Covid also gifted Fay time to follow her passion in studying essential oils and becoming a qualified aromatherapist. A lifelong allergy sufferer, Fay had found profound relief through alternative healing and began incorporating these tools into her life. Her business, Rose Hart Remedies, now offers a unique suite of services including online bioresonance scans and remote therapy, reiki, sound frequency healing, essential oil recipes, and distance healing — even for animals. Palm and tarot readings are also available, and she is developing a secure, subscription-based platform to deliver sound frequency healing using Solfeggio and custom therapeutic tones. Clients are encouraged to listen using wired headphones, Rodin coils, or speakers placed near the body ideally during sleep, to maximise healing and avoid Bluetooth interference.

In September 2025, Fay becomes a published author, contributing a heartfelt chapter to the anthology “Whispers of the Heart”. Her writing explores emotional resonance, heart memory, heart intelligence, frequency healing, and her intuitive connection with nature and her late grandmother. It is a deeply personal piece, honouring the wisdom of the heart as a guide. Alongside her business ventures, Rose Hart Remedies will support local charities in Hua Hin such as Jungle Aid and Shelter 88. Fay has also expressed an interest in launching her own NGO or volunteering with an existing one if she ever chooses to sell her businesses, though retirement still feels distant. Fay can’t see herself ever being able to close her laptop, though she has become more adept at turning off and finding time for herself, taking her dogs and immersing herself in nature.

Fay’s life continues to be guided by purpose and joy, retaining some childlike wonder. She has a tour of Egypt planned for October to deepen her understanding of ancient civilisations, a lifelong fascination. She dreams of travelling to South America to visit the ruins of the Aztecs and Incas and one day exploring Argentina, inspired by her admiration for Eva Peron. She has returned to India several times, including a special trip with her mother, but still feels there is so much more to discover. There are new landscapes to explore, more versions of masala dosa to taste, her ultimate comfort food, and more red wine that needs drinking.

Ultimately, Fay hopes the world wakes up to the damage being done by plastic waste. She believes that large-scale change will come not from a few people doing everything perfectly, but from millions of people doing just a little bit better. Her quiet crusade continues. In Hua Hin, you will often see Fay on the pickleball court or walking her dogs along the beach. Fay’s quiet crusade is far from over.