At 49, Nicola Goodlife moved from St Albans to the historic market town of Ruthin in North Wales. Here, she shares why she made the move and how it changed her outlook on life. Interview by Ellen Scott
I loved my life in St Albans. After growing up in Bushey, also in Hertfordshire, I moved to St Albans in my early twenties. My then-husband and I thought it would be a great place to raise our children, and that was correct. Over 28 years, I built an incredible community around me, raised my children, and made friendships that are still a huge part of my life today.
While many people in and around London talk about loneliness and disconnection, I was lucky enough to build a strong network of local people I could rely on. During Covid, some friends and I started a social Facebook group which quickly grew to more than 5,000 members. I was always organising ways for people to connect, from pairing people with walking buddies during lockdown to running free online fitness sessions to help support people’s mental wellbeing.
Shorts
St Albans gave me so much. I loved the people, the energy and the lifestyle there. And the area is beautiful. A friend owned a farm in Bricket Wood, so I spent a lot of time surrounded by nature and horses, which has always been important to me. Life in St Albans was wonderful.
