Karen Rickey

Karen was born in Devon. After qualifying as a primary school teacher she travelled to Iran where she worked for eighteen months as a teacher at an international school. While living there she travelled extensively in Iran and Afghanistan, with a particular interest in textiles. She met her American architect husband in Tehran and, after marrying, moved to the US where their three sons were born. After eleven years in the US the family moved to England and settled back in Devon. Karen worked as a part time primary school teacher and retired recently.  Her voluntary work started with many years on the PTA of her boys’ primary and secondary schools, including serving as chairperson on both committees. Later she went on to serve as a committee member at the local Arts Centre, in charge of fundraising. Most recently she has volunteered for eight years through Refugee Support Devon, teaching Afghan women to speak English. She continues to follow her interest in textiles, with a particular focus on knitting, sewing and dyeing.