UK Family Moves To Harare for Greener Pastures
UK Family Moves To Harare for Greener Pastures – Seeking a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle, a family from Leicester has made the life-changing decision to relocate from the United Kingdom to Zimbabwe, a move they say has significantly improved their quality of life.
Natalie Furk, 35, and her husband James, 37, along with their two children—Isabella (9) and Harvey (7)—left the UK in March 2024 and are now permanently settled in Harare.
The decision followed years of what they describe as a demanding and unsustainable lifestyle in Britain.
“Back in the UK, it felt like we were just working to survive,” said Natalie, whose bakery business expanded rapidly during the pandemic.
While the growth was financially rewarding, it also required her to work up to 18 hours a day. James, meanwhile, held a full-time position in the automotive industry, leaving little time for family life.
The couple made the final decision to relocate in late 2023.
In December of that year, they sold their four-bedroom home in Ringstead, Northamptonshire, for £500,000.
The proceeds were used to finance their move to Zimbabwe, where James originally grew up. Their remaining possessions were shipped in a 40-foot container at a cost of £8,000.
Since settling in Harare, the Furk family has embraced a lifestyle that they say offers both comfort and balance.
They now employ domestic staff, including help with cleaning, gardening, and cooking. “We even sent one of our maids on a cookery course and she now prepares most of our meals,” Natalie explained.
Education for their children was a key consideration in the transition.
Isabella and Harvey are currently enrolled in a private school in Harare, with annual fees of £8,750 per child. The Furks emphasized that investing in quality education was a priority as part of building a better future for their family.
“Here, we have more time together as a family,” Natalie said.
“The children are happier, and we’ve managed to build a routine that works for us. It’s a complete change of pace compared to our life in the UK.”
Now well-adjusted to life in southern Africa, the Furks say they have no regrets about their decision to relocate.
They believe the move has offered them the peace, balance, and opportunities they had been striving to find back in Britain.
