After living on one of the Isles for some years, Fiona moved in 2016 to the Orkney mainland—to the area where Arctic explorer John Rae grew up. Naturally, she joined the John Rae Society, becoming increasingly involved as membership secretary, trustee, archivist, and newsletter editor, amongst other duties. Adventure Canada has long been a supporter and is in regular communication with the Society.
Rae's home, Hall of Clestrain, is a fascinating building and holds a unique position on the timeline of Orkney architecture. Fiona enjoys hunting through archive material for information about it and its residents, as well as collecting stories about the history of the area, especially its links to Canada through the Hudson's Bay Company. She corresponds with a number of Canadians (and Americans) and enjoyed meeting some of them on a recent trip to Canada.
Fiona’s working life was spent teaching disadvantaged children. Now retired, she is reaping the benefits of early academic training (having studied Classics.). It enables her to be meticulous in research and to enjoy writing.