Maria moved from London to Wilton in the mid 1980s to continue her career as a secondary school geography teacher, specialising in physical and biogeography.
In more recent years she worked with older and disabled people assessing them for Disabled Facilities and other grants.
In the 1990s Maria was Co-ordinator for Salisbury and District Friends of the Earth.
In April 2019 she set up the Wilton Wildlife Group which has undertaken voluntary conservation work on the nearby downs and completed the wildflower patch in Castle Meadow. A lifelong wildlife enthusiast, Maria also volunteers by recording species with The Wilton Farmer Cluster, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and is a monitor for a recently designated Protected Road Verge in Wilton.
Maria is passionate about fairness and equality, wanting all residents to have equal access to activities and resources. She is currently an active member of the Wilton and District U3A Group.