Ruth Martin spent her childhood in rural West Cornwall, bringing her love of birdsong, countryside, and gardening with her when she came to London as a student, and decided to live in the area having visited Richmond Park and Kew Gardens that year.  She had her first allotment in nearby Chiswick when she was 24.

Ruth came to faith at the age of 12 through the poetry of George Herbert and has been a Reader (licensed lay minister) in the Church of England for nearly 15 years. Ruth worked in ethics, professionalism and financial regulation, and was Managing Director of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment for 12 years prior to joining the Diocese of Southwark as its Diocesan Secretary. For more than 30 years she was a member of the congregation in the neighbouring Richmond Team Ministry, moving to join St Anne’s Kew as parishioner and Reader upon retirement. She is also a Street Pastor, a Lay Canon of Southwark Cathedral and a Chair/trustee of several Christian faith-related charities.