6 Lancashire women in business who work in the people and retail sectors

Great British Life: Claire GammonClaire Gammon (Image: Archant)

CLAIRE GAMMON

Head - Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn

What's special about your school?

When a pupil starts at QEGS, they walk in the footsteps of all those who have studied here over the past 500 years, many of whom have gone on to do incredible things. Alongside the impressive facilities (including an onsite swimming pool!) there is a special atmosphere; pupils are respectful of each other, supportive and inspired to succeed. QEGS is a special place to be!

What's the best piece of advice you have been given?

'Do not be afraid of feeling afraid.' Progress comes from stepping outside of our comfort zones and as scary as it may seem, nothing is ever as bad as your imagination thinks it will be. I share this with pupils, especially around examinations, and they often tell me that it has stayed with them and helped them in challenging times.

If you could go back and tell your 13-year-old self something, what would it be?

Life does not always need to be planned out perfectly. I naturally like things to be logical, ordered and clear-cut (I am a Mathematics teacher after all!) but I have learnt that the best plans are adaptable. They often produce the most exciting outcomes!

West Park Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6DF 01254 686300 qegsblackburn.com

Great British Life: Lin SpencerLin Spencer (Image: Archant)

LIN SPENCER

Area Manager - Rochcare

What's special about your business?

We make a positive difference to peoples lives, whether it is the person we support, their family or staff. Our business is always full of laughter and fun, everyday. It is not unusual to hear staff singing as they work, or dancing, or spending time having a cuppa with people. Families trust us with their family members; that is a huge trust to give, and we respect how difficult that can be. We do our best to make sure that when they visit they feel welcomed, at home and part of our homes. "It is a business about people, not budget sheets."

What keeps you focused?

Knowing what I do matters. Whether it is looking at ways to improve our practice, or how to support people to be the best they can be, it all matters.

What's your best piece of business advice?

This quote from Maya Angelou has stayed with me for many years, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." In the care business this holds true. You can make difficult decisions, but always do them with empathy.

75-77 Drake Street, Rochdale OL16 1SB 01706 711877/ 07925 120973 rochcare.com

Great British Life: Sarah Ruttle and Angela RuttleSarah Ruttle and Angela Ruttle (Image: Archant)

SARAH RUTTLE & ANGELA RUTTLE

Co-owners - Heskin Hall Shopping Village

What's special about your business?

Our business is family owned and started from a converted cow shed over 10 years ago, so our heart and souls have gone into building the business into a centre with over 50 unique shops and businesses. All of our boutique shops are individually owned so the centre has a real family feel, with great customer service and a friendly happy atmosphere.

If you could go back and tell your 13-year-old self something, what would it be?

Believe in yourself and your dreams. Keep focused and know that there will be lots of highs as well as lows. Have confidence in what you can achieve, you will never believe how far you will go.

What keeps you focused?

The determination to keep the centre busy and a happy place for our customers to enjoy. We are celebrating being open 10 years this spring, which is a huge milestone for our business and we hope that we can continue to improve, move with the times and work alongside our shop owners to make sure that Heskin Hall Shopping Village is always a great experience every time you visit.

Heskin Hall Shopping Village, Wood Lane, Heskin, Chorley PR7 5PA 01257 451464 heskinhallshoppingvillage.co.uk

Great British Life: Julie BaillieJulie Baillie (Image: Archant)

JULIE BAILLIE

Owner - Cedar Farm

What is special about your business?

Farms are quite regularly transformed into arts centres and community hubs nowadays, but in the mid eighties when I started Cedar Farm alongside my husband and two young daughters, such an initiative was otherwise unheard of and completely new. My passion for handmade goods started long before crafting became fashionable again. Despite being the first of its kind, Cedar Farm has always retained a warm and humble welcoming energy, paying great attention to small detail. Having grown so healthily, we are now home to twenty six thriving businesses, still developing, whilst always maintaining an optimum creative environment helping many different ventures to succeed.

What's the best piece of business advice you have been given?

Don't do it! (That made me more determined to do it). It's better to have a go. If you have an idea you think will work, even if people tell you not to do it, you will always have a lingering doubt in the back of your mind that you could have created something amazing.

How do you unwind?

On the farm we have fruit trees; I love to make jams and chutneys from the fruits. I attend a yoga class at Cedar Farm and have practiced Transcendental Meditation for over 30 years. I also love to spend time with my four grandchildren and enjoy 'Love DanSing' with friends.

Cedar Farm, Mawdesley, Lancashire L40 3SY cedarfarm.net

Great British Life: Lorraine Marie HareLorraine Marie Hare (Image: Archant)

LORRAINE MARIE HARE

Manager - Community Careline Services

What's special about your business?

Community Careline is a family run and family orientated business which has been operational in excess of 25 years providing domiciliary care to customers across Rochdale. "We are a small, friendly team of carers that are passionate about the services that we provide." Over the years we have seen lots of domiciliary care companies that have only lasted just a few years, so we must be doing something right to last this long and the future is looking exceptionally bright.

What do you love about your job?

Being able to make a difference to people's lives is such a wonderful feeling. Knowing that we are able to prolong someone's dignity and independence in their own home for as long as possible gives us an over whelming feeling of pride. "Social care chose me and there is no other industry that I would want to be in."

How do you unwind?

I unwind knowing that after a day at work, all of our customers have been well looked after, and they are all happy and content. "My team are like family not staff and it's easy to unwind knowing that we all work together and we are all extremely proud of Careline."

75-77 Drake Street, Rochdale Lancashire OL16 1SB 01706 643433 carelinerochdale.co.uk

Great British Life: Rachel TrenchardRachel Trenchard (Image: will amlot)

RACHEL TRENCHARD

Co-owner - Goosnargh Gin

What's special about your business?

I think the use of our concept of 'Chapters' to tell our story is very special. Our gins celebrate Lancashire and the immediate area in which we live and work, the Forest of Bowland AONB. Whether through the choice of botanicals we include, links to the geography and heritage of the area, or the collaborations we have, we want them to have a real sense of connection. We also think our drive to work solely with independent business partners, as opposed to following a mass-market route, is special and forges strong relationships.

What's your best piece of business advice?

I'd say my best piece of advice would be, decide on what your values and ethos are and stay faithful to them. If you get these clear from the start, everything falls in to place around them and gives your business authenticity.

What do you love about your job?

Having the opportunity to meet with lots of different people and share the Goosnargh Gin story with them. We also love our collaborations and bringing something different to people, such as our foraging and distilling days. Also, the creativity involved, taking our gins right from recipe development to the end product is really satisfying, particularly as our methods mean it's such a hands-on process.

01995 641001 goosnarghgin.co.uk