Meet the team
Meet the team at Wanderlust travel magazine and website
Lyn Hughes – Wanderlust Co-Founder & Editor-In-Chief
In 1992 Lyn and her late husband, Paul Morrison, were bored on a flight to South America and so schemed out their ideal travel magazine on the back of a sickbag. The idea stuck and, returning to the UK a few months later, they launched Wanderlust magazine from their spare bedroom.
The magazine gradually grew through word of mouth, and went on to be one of the UK’s leading travel magazines, with numerous awards under its belt. In time it led to this website and a family of other travel magazines and websites.
After a long fight with cancer, Paul Morrison died in December 2004 and Lyn took on the roles of managing director and publisher, as well as editor-in-chief over all Wanderlust's publications and websites. In 2007 and 2008, Lyn was Highly Commended as Publisher of the Year. The Times lauded Lyn as one of the “50 Most Influential People in Travel.” In 2012, Lyn was presented by an Outstanding Contribution Award in the British Travel Press Awards.
A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Lyn is still a writer and photographer in her own right. She is regularly consulted by tourist boards and governments on travel-related issues, especially regarding ethical tourism. She sits on several committees, including LATA (the Latin American Travel Association), VJC (the Visit Japan Committee) and IPN (the Independent Publishers' Network). She judges many competitions and awards including the Thailand Green Excellence Awards UK.
Lyn strongly believes in tourism as a force for good, benefiting local communities, wildlife and the natural world. During the course of Lyn’s own travels she has been attacked in the night by soldier ants in Africa, spent the night in a sailor’s bar in the Azores, and been chased over a barbed-wire-topped 6ft-bank by an angry Irish bull. Her idea of hell would be a week on a beach.
Phoebe Smith, Editor of Wanderlust magazine
Phoebe came to Wanderlust in 2012 by way of a number of magazines and newspapers both in the UK and overseas, most recently Trail (the outdoors, walking and mountaineering title). As such she is most at home in the world’s high places – from teetering on Iceland’s glaciers, seeking out the highest jebel (mountain) in Jordan, sleeping on the top of Telescope Peak in Death Valley, or scrambling in Snowdonia. She’s author of The Camper’s Friend, The Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path and Extreme Sleeps: The adventures of a wild camper.
When not gazing over giant precipices for fun, wild camping in the mountains, or having long conversations with anyone who will listen about the pros and cons of Gore-Tex, she can be found in the Wanderlust office pulling together the magazine and planning future issues – which mainly involves sending writers to some of the best places in the world!
A huge fan of Wanderlust before she joined the magazine, she shares with readers a passion for adventurous travel and loves nothing more than getting under the skin of a place, learning about the local culture, wildlife watching and of course walking.
Sarah Baxter – Associate Editor (and Editor of Unique Honeymoons magazine)
Sarah joined Wanderlust in 2002. Hailing from Norfolk (high point: 100m), she likes nothing better than a good up-and-down stroll – from Pakistan's Karakorams to huffing to the top of Kilimanjaro to clambering the cliffs of Cornwall.
When Wanderlust can pin her to her desk, she edits, writes and keeps us all on track. Sarah is also editor of Unique Honeymoons magazine.
Tom Hawker – Production Editor
Tom joined Wanderlust in 2011 after a career spent in consumer, lifestyle and contract titles, working in both an editorial and production capacity. As Production Editor, he's in charge of making sure Wanderlust magazine and its sister titles go to press on time, which involves a lot of moaning at people who file late copy and double-checking things are splet correctly.
When out and about, Tom has a soft spot for tracking down movie locations. His favourite? The Star Wars set in Tunisia... His wife wasn't impressed.
Graham Berridge – Art Director
After graduating with a degree in Graphic Communication in 1998, Graham's career so far has seen him design both consumer and contract magazines spanning music, fashion, lifestyle, technology and travel.
Graham joined Wanderlust in 2003 and as Art Director heads up the design team; he is responsible for the design and layout of Wanderlust magazine as well as Wanderlust’s sister magazines, contract titles, books and supplements.
Mike Wright – Art Editor
Mike joined Wanderlust in March 2011 having spent the past 18 years freelancing across consumer, business and contract publishing. Hailing originally from Cheshire he studied Typography and Graphic Communication for four years at Reading University before moving to London to kick-start his career in design.
Out of the office you'll either find him on a sunny mountain top strapped to a pair of skis or blasting through choppy waves windsurfing.
Daisy Cropper – Assistant Website Editor
Daisy joined the Wanderlust team in September 2010 after graduating with a BA Hons Degree in Journalism. As Assistant Website Editor you'll find her working on anything and everything across the Wanderlust website, including writing news, producing features, proofing and subbing content, organising competitions, interacting with myWanderlust and more.
When she can peel herself away from the world of the web (rarely, as she's developing a Twitter addiction) you'll have a hard job finding her: the self-confessed travel nut has admitted she wants to visit all the countries in the world... And so far, she's only been to 15.
Clare Wilson – Editorial Assistant
Clare has had many adventures across the globe, including catching the Trans-Mongolian express to China and living there for a year. Originally joining Wanderlust as a web intern in early 2012, through a combination of charm, hard work, making multiple rounds of tea (and refusing to leave!) she carved herself out a niche and jumped over to the editorial team. So far Clare's favourite place in the world is Iceland... but she says there's plenty of places still to explore!
When Clare's not helping make the Wanderlust magazine magic happen, she edits www.unique-honeymoon-ideas.com.
Heidi Hodgkins – Commercial Manager
When she's not hiking in the desert or discovering little towns off the beaten track, Heidi can be found working away as part of Wanderlust's advertising team. Heidi joined the team in July 2010 and works across print, digital and contract publishing sales.
Contact Heidi: heidi.hodgkins@wanderlust.co.uk
Kevin Rawlins – Sales Executive
Avid traveller Kevin Rawlins joined the team in late 2011. His lust to wander began in 2004 with an epic round-the-world trip starting in Rio for Carnival, then on to Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and over to Australia and New Zealand, ending in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. It's safe to say the travel bug has well and truly trapped him. A huge Arsenal fan, movie buff and keen foodie, when we can pin Kevin to his desk, he can be contacted for information on a range of advertising opportunities.
Contact Kevin: kevin.rawlins@wanderlust.co.uk
Emily Edwards – Marketing Executive
Wanderlust was once the bible to Emily’s travels, but now she is a happy member of the team. As well as being a real thrill seeker from surfing to scuba diving to climbing glaciers and volcanoes, she enjoys nothing more than a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive.
With a degree in Events Management and Arts, she is now the Marketing Executive at Wanderlust helping to promote the brand, organise events, and keeping the Wanderlust subscribers up to date.
If you have any marketing enquires please don’t hesitate to contact Emily on emily.edwards@wanderlust.co.uk
Danny Callaghan – Finance & Operations Director
As well as balancing the books and managing the subscriptions team, Danny is Wanderlust's Mr Fixit – running and maintaining the company's IT systems, doing DIY and all manner of other tasks to keep the company running. Just don't ask him to make you a cup of tea...
Sue Spoor – Subscriptions Manager
Sue joined Wanderlust in November 2003 as a Christmas temp and has never left! Her first career path as a riding instructor took her from rural Newmarket in Suffolk to summer camps in New Jersey. She’s managed to find a horse to ride in every country she’s visited so far.
Nowadays she canters through Windsor Great Park, a stone's throw from the Wanderlust office where she manages the Subscriptions department, ensuring each and every subscriber doesn’t miss an issue.
Contact Sue: subs@wanderlust.co.uk
Pauline Moore – Accounts Assistant
Local lady Pauline has been at Wanderlust since 2003. She spent ten years trying to keep temptation at bay (and working in various roles) at a large confectionery manufacturer, before leaving to start a family. Returning to work five years ago, four children and numerous grey hairs later, she divides her time between subscriptions and accounts.