After studying international relations at university, Nicky developed a keen interest in politics. “I was drawn to the Liberal Democrats, especially their pro-EU approach to things.” She began an internship with the party, before landing a full-time job with the Portsmouth branch in 2009. In November 2010, she was invited to join a training weekend in Derby. “By then I was working as a campaigns assistant,” she says. “I had split up from my husband the year before, and was ready to embrace single life.”
On the first day, she spotted Simon when they both got up to close a window at the same time. “It was snowing outside and the window was stuck,” says Nicky. “I thought he was gorgeous. It was definitely love at first sight for me.” They then paired up for a workshop.
“I really liked her straight away,” says Simon. “We chatted about how we both got involved in the party.” Nicky learned that Simon was working at a law firm in London and volunteering for the party in his spare time. As well as sharing the same political values, they’d both studied European law. “I’d grown up close to Portsmouth, where Nicky’s from, so we had that in common too,” says Simon. They ended up talking “all evening”.
The next day, they went to the station together and exchanged numbers. “Simon even carried my bag on to the train for me,” she says. “I was going to Oldham for a byelection and Simon was going back to London.”
The following weekend, Simon joined her in Oldham to help with the campaign. “We always joke that our first date was delivering leaflets in the snow,” says Nicky. “It was quite romantic, because we were trying to suss out when we could see each other outside political campaigning.”
In mid-December, they got their chance to have a proper date. Nicky travelled to London and they spent the day wandering around the city before going to see the musical Wicked. “From that weekend, I knew she was the one for me,” says Simon. “I just really loved spending time with her.” For the next few months they saw each other as often as they could, travelling between London and Portsmouth, as well as visiting Venice and Paris. “One day, when I was sick, Nicky came all the way to London to bring me some cold medicine. She turned up on my doorstep and I thought that was so nice,” he says.
Their relationship developed quickly, and they bought a home together in Southsea, near Portsmouth, in 2011. “I found out I was pregnant when we were house hunting,” says Nicky. “I suffered quite badly with baby blues after our daughter was born and I felt like a different person. Without Simon’s love, support and steadfast nature, I don’t know what I would have done.”
They married in October 2012 and celebrated the christening of their daughter the same day. “We had a really nice afternoon tea reception and a Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin tribute act as our entertainment,” says Nicky.
Simon now works from home for a New York-based law firm, while Nicky is a receptionist at a school. They both volunteered at Covid vaccine centres during the pandemic.
Nicky loves her partner’s compassion, and his generosity. “Just after lockdown, we got some guinea pigs for our daughter but I think Simon loves them the most out of all of us. He’s always looking after them,” she says. “He has a very determined nature. I come up with crazy ideas and he’s very good at calming some of those ideas down.”
Simon says they complement each other. “She makes me really happy. She’s got a good sense of humour and we always work as a team.”
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