Victoria

As a writer and campaigner I work from my home in the market town of Bungay, in Suffolk.  I write across a variety of subjects, but mostly about World War Two history; I am passionate about recording true testimonies of those who are still with us and able to tell their stories.  My three published books are Six Weeks of Blenheim Summer, Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War and Remarkable Women of the Second World War.  For more information about my work please visit my personal website www.victoriapb.co.uk.  To buy, click on the following links:

Six Weeks of Blenheim Summer (penguin.co.uk)
The History Press | Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War
The History Press | Remarkable Women of the Second World War

'Six Weeks of Blenheim Summer' is my first published book;  it is my Grandfather's diary of being a pilot during the Battle of France in the summer of 1940.  The Times described it as 'The best account of the chaos and confusion of war outside the pages of Evelyn Waugh.''

 

Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War' - 'A Fascinating and Touching Book' - is my second published book;  it contains eleven, true, previously untold memories of war given to me by nine men and two women who lived through these years - including two RAF navigators, a merchant navy steward and a Holocaust survivor.  These are some of the book's endorsements: 
Dame Joanna Lumley OBE;  'This collection of World War Two Memories is a gem' - Jonathan Dimbleby;  'The Bayeux Tapestry of the Second World War' - Edward Wilson

'Remarkable Women of the Second World War' is the sequel to 'Remarkable Journeys', containing thirteen - again true and previously unpublished - memories of the Second World given to me by women only (and in some cases by their family members), from around the world - including a Russian aviator, a German-Jewish lady who was brought to safety as a child on a Kindertransport train, an RAF nurse and an Air Transport Auxiliary engineer.   In her Foreword, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP wrote that this is a 'Timely book ... and that Victoria has done us all a huge service in producing this unique, varied and vital collection of tales.

My background, however, is journalism and politics.  I worked for six years in the newsroom at BBC Television Centre, and before that for the Conservative Party, including in the Political Office in 10, Downing Street under Sir John Major.

I also established and managed a family charity with my twin sister Sarah, Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope, which helped child amputees in developing countries.  These children are some of the neediest and most vulnerable children in the world.  It is a privilege to be able to care for and campaign for them.

Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope was established in May 2011; firstly helping child amputees in Tanzania - more recently for amputees in Sierra Leone, Liberia and India - giving them not only prosthetics but education, everything they need for a better life.

 

Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope has now closed (in February 2023) but I am continuing to follow the progress of the children closely, and fundraise directly for the projects with whom ELoH partnered with in Africa and India.  To support them / find out more, for Africa, please go to:  www.stewardship.org.uk/partners/20330999 (please put in the ‘any details or reference box’ that you would like your money to help child amputees in Sierra Leone and / or Liberia)