Rachel Jackson is a jewellery designer whose work I particularly love. We even collaborated with on a necklace design once, a phoenix for the charity mothers2mothers.

She discovered her passion for her career while solo travelling in South America where she made a good friend Ale in Brazil and then spent 2 months living with his mum Cinderella (yes that really was her name!) who taught her how to make jewellery. 6 weeks after she returned to the UK Ale was tragically killed in a plane accident which made Rachel feel how fleeting life is. She then gave up a well-paid job in TV to pursue her dream of designing and selling her own jewellery. She started with a stall in Spitalfields market, earning very little, and worked up to selling to Liberty and Selfridges. She often collaborates with charities which gives a meaning and a story to each piece of jewellery.

Rachel has two children, Herbie aged 6 and River aged 10. Her husband took a year out of his job to do the lion’s share of the child care when they had their 2nd baby, enabling Rachel to grow the company at a crucial time.

Rachel doesn’t really feel she’s a baby person but particularly loves the feeling of being increasingly needed now, as they are getting older. Unlike me, she’s an excellent planner and always has plenty of activities sorted out for the weekend. When we spoke, I had a Bank Holiday of nothingness ahead, so I rather envied her good planner trait!

Listen now: sophieellisbextor.komi.io/