Meet the Team

Clare Monson

Director

Hello! My name is Clare, I am the director for Pure Portugal.

I originally bought a farm in Central Portugal with my husband and two sons in 2013. We started in the middle of a very hot August with just a bell tent and a sun baked olive grove, no water or electricity and a 4 year old and 4 week old baby! From here we taught ourselves how to make our own solar system, got water running on a gravity fed system, made a tiny old dilapidated barn habitable and lived in this for a year while we built our own strawbale house. The farm became transformed into a wonderful space and we offered many free and pay what you like workshops on strawbale building, herbalism, mindfulness, meditation, storytelling and much more.

In 2017 we decided to sell our beloved farm and start a new challenge, however life threw an unexpected event our way which mean we had to head back to (our equally beloved) Cornwall, we now plan to split our time between Cornwall and Portugal and hope soon to buy another new little farm in Portugal when we are visiting.

We continue to grow vegetables using permaculture principles, keep hens, home school our children, and very much live the good life! I have a huge passion for living off grid and living in a low impact way. My other hobbies and interests include traveling, writing, herbalism, cooking and most loved of all – spending any free time at all with horses!


Daniel Cunha

IT and Communications Manager, Holidays & Rentals Website

Daniel is an external service provider and IT wizard, he helps keep the website on track. He also helps manages the Holidays and Rentals website and helps out with property for sale listings and translations.

Contact Daniel if you’d like to list your holiday or long-term rental accommodation with Pure Portugal.

email: daniel@pureportugal.co.uk

My name is Daniel and I’m from Porto, Portugal.

I’m helping Pure Portugal with the property advert uploads, letting you know the amazing opportunities in this beautiful country. Also I will be helping in the holidays site so you can explore all of Portugal’s hidden treasures.

I’m technology passionate. Since little I’m attracted to computers and how technology can transform our lives. I like programming websites and to development apps for mobile phones. I’m also helping develop and improve Pure Portugal’s social media channels – in particular Instagram and Twitter.

I really believe technology can improve the world we live in and nowadays we are on the verge of several breakthroughs for a new, cleaner, more sustainable world. From renewable energy, electric cars, solar panels, energy storage, smart farming, transport efficiency and much more. So, I follow closely all this developments and breakthroughs.

As hobbies I really like to travel, to explore different places, new cultures, new ideas and realities. And also enjoy recording, editing and publishing videos of all those amazing experiences.

To know more please read the article: Sharing his love of technology and travel


Deborah Richmond

Deborah Richmond. Constellation WorkshopsServices Directory 

Deborah’s is an external service provider who’s role is to build and grow relationships for the advertising of business services. Contact Deborah if you’d like to promote your company: deborah@pureportugal.co.uk

Born in England, I initially worked in advertising and in later years in property and started to work with Pure Portugal when buying land in Central Portugal. I love supporting businesses through marketing and also provide systemic coaching to individuals and teams to drive regenerative business growth.

On the Quinta we are bringing back greater diversity to a once abandoned pine monoculture land. Learn more about me here.


Sophie Hill

Director

Sophie started Pure Portugal Ltd in 2004.  She is also the director for Pure Portugal.

email: sophie@pureportugal.co.uk

I originally started the business with my husband after we were asked to produce a website to advertise a few holiday properties in Portugal owned by friends.

Others were soon asking us to make an advert for their holiday and rental properties on the website and then people started asking if we would consider advertising properties for sale. Eventually the original website became cumbersome and confusing and so we split the business into two – the properties website and the holidays/rentals website.

My background is in web design, and I used to be a Local Group Co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth.   Together with my husband, we ran Quinta das Abelhas (aka Portugal Smallholding) which, over the ten years we were there, hosted hundreds of volunteers and several events such as an annual Seedy Sunday.

I have a riverside smallholding near the Serra da Estrela mountains where I love growing all kinds of plants and keeping chickens.  I also love travelling and discovering Portugal in the campervan.