Marcus and Emily (née Riches) moved back to Somerset with their young son Hector at the start of 2024. Baby Archie joined the family in 2025 and they are now putting down roots in the county where they both grew up.

The Brownes are a Queen’s family through and through, with Marcus and Emily  - both pupils at the school - first meeting aged 11 in the ferry waiting room en route to the annual French Exchange trip. Fast forward a few years, ‘I gradually chipped away,’ says Marcus, and they became a couple in their latter years at Queen’s - during another school trip, to Berlin!

After going to separate universities - Marcus to Royal Agricultural College, and Emily to Royal Holloway - the couple settled in London to begin pursuing their individual careers: Marcus as an estate agent working for leading national firms from the outset, and Emily in corporate events. “When we decided to move out of London to Hampshire, I went first as I was offered an exciting opportunity and Emily followed not long afterwards. The timing was perfect in hindsight, because COVID came along, and we felt grateful to be in the countryside.”

The couple married in 2021, and Hector arrived in 2023. Marcus explains, “We wanted to be closer to both sets of grandparents and the place we both loved growing up and knowing we had excellent opportunities to run around. We were thinking Hector could tear around the fields and do the same that I did! So when the opportunity to buy the Jackson-Stops business came up, we grabbed it.”

“We loved it so much at Queen’s, and as soon as we came for our walk around and our meeting with the team at the nursery, there was just no question about where Hector would go. Having joined Queen’s in nursery myself, it feels right. It’s really nice in the car park in the mornings and evenings, we’re walking past and saying hello to people that we came to school with.”                              

When the opportunity to sponsor the Queen’s Hockey First Teams came up, it was an easy decision for Marcus. “I’m so pleased to give something back to somewhere that has given us as a couple so many happy memories, and we feel it’s the least we can do. It was the easiest decision I’ve made, and I’m so pleased to be able to give back.”

Jackson-Stops are proudly sponsoring the girls’ and boys’ First Team Hockey kits 2025-28. With the girls’ hockey season underway, the strips are already in action. New boys’ kit designs will be revealed in the New Year.

To discuss corporate sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch with Michelle Hancock, Director of Development at mdh@queenscollege.org.uk or call 01823 340873.