Born and educated in London,Sarah trained as a reporter in Sussex and worked as a subeditor in print journalism before settling to raise a family. She lived and worked in Asia and America for over ten years and since returning to the UK has been an active supporter of various charities supporting the arts, education, and horticulture. She is a trustee of Hastings International Piano, the Rye Art Gallery, the Friends of the Conquest Hospital, a trustee of Fairlight Hall Riding for the Disabled, and a Director of the Community Interest Company which manages Rye Creative. She is a Deputy Lieutenant of East Sussex and was presented with an honorary doctorate from the University of East Anglia in 2019.