A FRESH START

Following her divorce Sarah Burghard, 55, knew it was time for a drastic change

- ASHLEIGH PAGE

Strolling through the bustling city streets, doing the quick 15-minute walk to the train station, I knew I’d made the right decision. It was November 2018 and I’d just moved from a tiny four-house hamlet in the Slad Valley in Stroud, to a barge on the marina in the centre of vibrant Bristol. It was a huge change, but that was just what I needed.

I’d lived in the countryside for more than 15 years, first in Oxfordshire, then Stroud. I loved the sense of community, picturesque walks, and watching my two sons play cricket and rugby on the local green. It felt like the perfect way of life for a married mum of two - healthy and idyllic.

But after my marriage had ended, in 2018, I decided I needed a fresh start. And with my sons now grown-up and out of the house, I was no longer trapped by school catchment areas and the worry of moving them away from their friends.