Polly Gibson DipWSET joins the UKSA team as our Development Manager - South

We would like to welcome Polly Gibson DipWSET to the UKSA team in her role as UKSA Development Manager - South.

One of the UKSA’s priorities is to make sure that our members are catered for regardless of where you are based in the UK and to this end we are thrilled that Polly has volunteered to support our members and growth in the south.

Polly has over a decade of wine industry experience working at managerial level in the fields of retail, hospitality, education, & events. A Certified Educator for the WSET since 2017, she describes herself as a wine lover on a mission to never be a wine bore! She started her own business 'Wine With Polly' in 2023 bringing together her joint passions of educating and presenting on wine and alongside runs the sales & event programme for an award-winning biodynamic vineyard.

Bringing experience that makes her relatable to a wide range of industry professionals, she joins the organisation with a desire to encourage development and networking opportunities to those in the sphere.

Working alongside the UKSA team, Polly will be the representative & point of contact for the UKSA Southern Club, with the aim to emulate the success of the Northern Sommelier Club launched earlier this year by Eric Zweibel MS. She will be creating a calendar of tasting events and masterclasses for the southern region, enhancing the accessibility of the UKSA benefits to those outside of London. She looks forward to meeting her fellow wine-lovers at an event soon!

'It's with great pleasure that I take on this role as Development Manager of the UKSA Southern Club. This newly-created position looks to emulate the success of the northern branch of the UKSA, bringing tastings, masterclasses, and networking opportunities to members (and potential members) of the Academy. 

As a southerner myself, I am well-aware of the limitations for tastings and training outside of the capital and hope to bring these benefits to those working in the industry in our region. From my base in Berkshire, it costs less to join the UKSA for one year than it does to take the train to London for one tasting! So the benefits are real and tangible from day one. I'm delighted to have joined the UKSA in such a capacity and look forward to helping professionals in the region expand their knowledge and network.' - Polly Gibson DipWSET