Meet our Ambassadors

Our Braintree district ambassadors are the driving force of the district brand. These are residents, businesses, organisations and residents who come together to raise the profile of the district and support investment.

Members meet regularly to talk about upcoming projects.

If you would like to be part of making the Braintree district a better place to live, work, visit and enjoy, contact us at tourism@braintree.gov.uk.

Here’s a little bit about what the role means to them…

Josef O’Sullivan, Centre Manager, Braintree Village

Josef is responsible for managing Braintree Village as it embarks on its exciting transformation to position the designer outlet as a stylish, relaxing, day-out destination for the whole family. With more than 30 years in the retail industry, Josef’s knowledge in creating exceptional experiences for local and visiting customers is second-to-none.

“The village has played an important role over the years in attracting visitors to Braintree and our future vision is to work closely with key partners like Visit Braintree District to promote Braintree and Essex as a whole, as a leading UK shopping destination – bringing in more visitors and benefitting all areas of Braintree.”

Demetra Lindsay , Owner, Hedingham Castle

Demetra, together with her husband Jason, live and run Hedingham Castle, which is the best preserved Norman keep in western Europe. Bringing up their family there, they realise how important this iconic structure is to the history and culture of the district. The keep, which is 900 years old, hosts weddings, jousts, car shows, falconry, and many other events and as such has the ability to appeal to a wide range of people. It sits in the heart of the Essex countryside and from its top windows the rural beauty of the district and county unfolds. It is one of the treasures to be found in our fascinating district and is a great treat to encounter and explore on a route amongst other wonderful places nearby.  Demetra is also a trustee of the Braintree Museum and on the board of Visit Essex and is passionate about presenting this astonishing but underappreciated area of our country to visitors. 

Kylie Neuhaus, Travel Blogger 

Kylie is a travel blogger and author born and raised in Braintree. She studied travel and tourism at Braintree College and has since been to over 40 countries and lived in the USA. Her latest project is a second travel site, dedicated to all things Essex, showcasing everything that the county has to offer from a personal and relatable perspective. She loves inspiring her readers to find fun things to do and see in even the smallest of places. It's even possible to be a tourist in your hometown.