Johnsons of Whixley have been supplying the nation with millions of quality plants and trees for over 100 years from their nurseries in Yorkshire. Paul Andrews went to visit them to find out more. Johnsons of Whixley is a three-generation family business located in North Yorkshire, equidistant between York and Harrogate, with over 100 years experience in growing and supplying trees, shrubs, and plants to UK-wide planting schemes. 12 members of the family have an active role within the business, from senior leadership positions and administration to more hands-on roles on the shop floor. The team is made up of 130 full-time staff, which can increase by up to 50% during peak seasons. From those in the office, on the shop floor, or on the ground tending to the plants and trees, this is a family business that puts people first. They strive to nurture and develop all their staff and are proud to say that each staff member plays an important role in the growth of the business. Spread over five production sites covering 200 acres across North Yorkshire, they are one of the longest-established and largest wholesale commercial nursery businesses in the UK, annually growing and supplying millions of plants, shrubs and trees to the UK trade for 100 years. As a business they supply in excess of five million plants and trees annually, which enables them to operate across three channels to market, providing plants and trees to the wholesale commercial sector for amenity and civil engineering projects, direct to garden centres, and wholesale direct via an on-site professional trade outlet supplying landscape gardeners, garden designers, tree surgeons, estates, caravan parks and Universities, with a large variety of stock all year round. The journey for the current family owners dates back to 1964 when John Richardson had just got married, had their first child and then bought this small nursery. But even prior to that there was a long family history in the sector, with hard work and entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of all that he did. Growing up, his mother’s family had been growers for generations with their main crops being rhubarb, vegetables and salads, and from the age of 12 he spent every spare minute helping out on the farm, being paid for the work he did. “My wage at this time (aged 15) was £3.20 for a 47 hour working week which was paid to my mother in return for all my food and clothing and I kept the money that was paid for any overtime that I did,” John explains. “I then got a place at the local agricultural college, but was encouraged to do a two year course in Essex, which resulted in a big move down South. It was a thoroughly enjoyable time in my life as I was working hard and building up a good amount of capital too. I then moved back to the East Riding of Yorkshire with work with the Bean family in their horticultural business whilst at the same time earning extra money by doing gardening projects at weekends.” Entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to be successful was evident from a young age. Balancing jobs with extra work in the community helped to build up savings and John was never shy of trying something new. Working for Secretts in Surrey provided more opportunity too as he was driving lorries to Covent Garden with produce from the farm and then stopping off on the way home at Buckingham Palace to collect horse manure on the return journey! His career continued, and when he was considering his future, a role in Scotland as a commercial grower advisor arose, which he took, moved to Scotland, and it was here that he met his future wife. As a rep on the road life was busy but John loved it, clocking up about 25,000 miles a year back in the late 1950’s and he was happy. It was whilst he was based in Scotland, away on a business trip to Aberdeen and staying in a hotel, that John received a call from his Uncle back in Whixley. A Mr Johnson, who was 67 years old had a nursery business that he wanted to sell, and his Uncle asked John if he was interested in taking it on. 17 trips between Scotland and Whixley and the deal was done, and the journey to begin the business that it is today, had begun. For John, looking back today, he recognises the effort that has been put in to build the business and for him one of the proudest moments is the fact that it provided an opportunity for his three sons to join the business and to work together building it. “I worked with my kids and that was fantastic,” adds John, “but they had to work for the benefits and make a real contribution, which they did, and over time they took on more and more of the responsibility too,” adds John. Graham, one of John’s sons adds that “I learnt a lot from my Dad and he led by example, as we do now, doing it the family way. There was no ‘big stick’ and there was no pressure to join the business, but it is in the blood and part of the ‘working the land mentality’ that we have as a family. We have never had a family fall-out, and every decision has always been made by consensus.” As a family they grew up on the nursery, in the house that was previously owned by Mr Johnson. As John explains, “he built another home next door which my brother now lives in. When we took on the nursery and bought the business we took out a loan to help pay for it and at the time there was £2,000 left to pay with two years to go. Mr Johnson and his wife, both veterans of World War I, were so pleased with the way that we had taken on and run the business, feeling that it was in safe hands to such an extent that they wrote off the balance of the loan.” The family business has grown from an 11 acre site with 11 staff and a turnover of around £30,500 to what it is today, 200 acres, multiple sites, turnover of around £17 million and a full time staff of 130 with a further 50/60 added to cope with seasonal pressures. The business has grown under the Richardsons and there are now seven of the third generation actively involved in the business. As John explains, “My great satisfaction is that the family have become so engaged in the business and are taking it forward, something that gives me so much pleasure and pride, knowing that it is continuing into the next generation. Graham has developed the business elements of the company, whilst Andrew concentrated on sales and promotion, and Iain controlled physical expansion and production.” As Graham adds, “It is fantastic for us to be working together, each and every day, coming together as a family, as one, and building on the legacy that has been created by our parents. It is a pleasure to be taking it forward and continuing to build something for the future with an engaged family, core values, and a great team of staff too.” John is the first to admit that the business has changed a lot since he acquired it back in 1964. “So much has changed and yet so much remains the same. The way things are grown and the need for sustainability is high on the agenda but the passion that we have as a family to continue to invest in the business is still evident for all to see. We work together as one and continue to invest in the future of the business and I am truly proud of the business that we have created today, and delighted that it is passing safely into the hands of the next generation.” Johnsons of Whixley continues to grow and develop new routes to market. As Graham concludes, “We are proud of the business and our family values that shape our growth. We are also proud of our low staff turnover and ability to identify, recruit and develop staff members who go on to give 20, 30 or even more than 40 years’ service, and endeavour to recognise and reward long service.” This is a great family business, a great ambassador for Yorkshire and a business that is proud of its’ heritage, the plans for the future, and one that continues to successfully build on the entrepreneurial spirit of the generations that have gone before. We look forward to seeing their continued growth and development in the years to come.

HILDEBRAND SWEDEN was established in 2018 by Nina and Tobias Hildebrand as a premium fashion brand focusing on sustainability, quality, slow fashion and a good work ethic underpinned by strong family values. Paul Andrews spoke to Nina and Tobias to find out more about their journey and the creation of their family business. For Nina, it was time to follow her dream. For Tobias, it was an opportunity to build a business that incorporated tennis, something that been an integral part of his life since a very young age. As Nina explains, “From being educated in Biomedicine and working within the field of clinical research, mainly in oncology, for 12 years, I chose to invest in my dream of becoming my own boss, working in fashion, design and production and the dream became a reality back in 2018 when we started trading.” “We wanted to build a business that has authenticity and values around sustainability at the very heart of it. Our bags are fairly produced in India at handpicked factories that we have personally chosen based on the way they operate, their quality, work ethic and sustainability and we have made sure that all of the factories comply with the internationally approved standards based on the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, National Labour Laws and International Human Rights Norms and our bags are made of vegetable tanned genuine leather, organic cotton canvas and nylon,” she continues. “HILDEBRAND shoes are made by artisans in a small family-owned factory in Montegranaro, which is located in the heart of the Marche region, known as Italy’s ‘Shoe Valley,’ where shoes of the highest quality have been made for over 100 years,” adds Tobias. This is a business that is all about the products. They aim for slow fashion, creating products that have been made to last where quality is key. It builds on their desire to produce beautiful products whilst also providing a reference and ongoing legacy of the life in tennis that Tobias continues to enjoy. As Tobias explains, “Ever since the age of four, my life has in some way evolved around tennis. Before turning professional at the age of 16 in 1992, I was top two ranked in my age group in Sweden and won various Swedish and international junior titles. As a professional tennis player, I enjoyed playing on the tennis circuit for more than nine years, participating in everything from money tournaments, club matches, ITF satellite tournaments, futures events, ATP Challenges, ATP tournaments and Grand Slams. During my career I enjoyed wins over several ATP top ten players and have two ATP Challengers doubles titles and made it to plenty of finals over the years.” After almost 10 years as a tennis professional player, Tobias went back to school to study finance and economics at Stockholm School of Economics. After graduation he began a new career within private banking and became head of the HSBC Nordic Wealth Management office in Stockholm. He stayed for about 8 years in that position. However, it was during his tennis career the idea of creating a ‘premium tennis bag’ started. Back in the days, most of the tennis professionals that played the Stuttgart ATP tournament received a plain black duffel bag from a certain famous fashion brand factory that was located nearby. This bag happened to be 70cm long and was perfect for fitting tennis rackets, and subsequently became THE bag which all the players back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s used for carrying their rackets to practice and travel with. The idea became a reality when Nina and Tobias started their business back in company in 2018, with the launch of their first product, the HILDEBRAND Tennis Duffle Bag launching the following May. The dream was becoming a reality, the introduction of stylish, premium sports bags in nice materials, nice colours and without big screaming logos. As Nina adds. “My husband is a former tennis professional so the choice of making tennis bags as our first bag was the natural choice.” Looking back now, one of their first memories was when they visited India in 2018 to look around the factories that they had chosen when it dawned on them that ‘this was really happening.’ Tennis was obviously an integral part of life for Tobias and has really helped with the development of the business to date. As Nina continues, “First of all, the design of the sport bags is very well thought through. Tobias knew how the bags should be constructed to look and feel good, and more importantly the need to fit all of the essentials. Of course, he also knows a lot of people in the tennis world which has given us an advantage in promoting the bags too.” For Nina, the business has been a total change from the personal journey that she was on. “I made a complete turnaround in my career, moving from the world of Biomedicine to investing in my dream of becoming my own boss in the world of fashion where I am today. Now I work as the CEO which involves a whole variety of roles, including design, contact with factories, marketing, liaising with customers, packing orders, dealing with the accounts and customer service. Like many other small, family business leaders, I have to get on and do what needs to be done,” she adds. Like many family firms, HILDEBRAND is built on a series of underlying values and principles. Tobias and Nina are set on creating an ethical business that has a moral compass and one of the most important values for them is social sustainability. As Nina continues, “Social sustainability affects people’s living conditions in society, such as health, security, education, justice and the exercise of power, as well as the opportunities to improve them. In addition to the individual perspective, it is about how these living conditions are distributed between people. We believe in Doing Well by Doing Good.” Sometimes it is easy to say but less easy to substantiate but the team do all that they can to validate their products and ensure they do all they can to stick to their purpose too. As Nina explains, “The factories that we are using for the production of our bags are all SA8000 certified. SA8000 provides a social standard framework for organizations of all types, to conduct business in a way that is fair and decent for workers. The tanneries we are using are members of the Leather Working Group and are all silver or gold rated. We are also supporting charity organisations such as Pratham in Sweden who believe that ‘knowledge changes lives and aim to do all they can to help ALL children have the right to a good education.” The business is nearly five years old and has been a real journey for Nina and Tobias. Starting out on the creation of their family firm it is easy to see that it has created a special bond between them, and they have a real passion for their products and truly believe in their business, and the reasons behind it. For them, it is about building the ethical brand at the same time as building the business. As Nina explains, “Working together creates the bond between us as we are driving towards a common goal. It also exciting and fulfilling to build something that may involve your children in the future too, as we truly believe that we are creating a legacy for their future.” There is also a recognition that running a family business has its challenges too. “We always work and always talk business, at least that is what our children say, which we obviously need to take on board and we are also able to be very frank towards each other, which can be good sometimes, but frustrating too,” she adds. Many people within the family business world wear many hats, in the business and out of it, and it is not always easy to get the balance between the family and the business right. Nina and Tobias are well aware of the fact and use sport and travel as a means of separation, something that they all love. “Spending time as a family at weekends is really important for all of us,” continues Nina, “and Tobias still plays tennis which he still loves too.” This is an exciting time for the business as the brand continues to grow, new products are added to the portfolio and recognition builds globally. The products are beautiful and for Nina it is great to see. “Anyone starting a business wants it to grow and become a success and our journey is continuing. It is important to believe in the product, the concept and the business and remember to take time to reflect on the success at each stage in the journey as well. Believe in yourself and give it time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a sustainable business,” adds Nina. Looking back, thinking about advice she would have given herself when starting out, Nina has some wise words. “Both Tobias and I were not really that young when we started HILDEBRAND. What I wish I knew was that it will take time, it will be hard work, but of course also fulfilling when you succeed with something. However, if I knew some of the things that I have learned along the way I am not sure if I would have taken the chance to start this business. Sometimes it is good that you are a bit naive, and just go with the flow and follow your dreams,” concludes Nina. This has been a real journey of discovery and fulfilment for both Nina and Tobias. Bringing their passions for design and ethical products to a lifetime of association with tennis is creating something special. They are building an entrepreneurial and sustainable business with real purpose. We look forward to seeing how the journey evolves as they continue to create a business that is setting standards in terms of sustainability, authenticity, and purpose. Find out more at www.hildebrandsweden.com

Handmade chocolate gifts are special. At Rumsey’s they believe that handmade chocolate is something special and want to help people experience it, not just eat it. All their chocolates are made by hand in small batches from their chocolateries in the Chilterns. And, in an unusual twist for a family business, Rumseys is now run by the daughter-in-law of the founders, Kate Rumsey, who Paul Andrews met to find out more. The idea for the business started to evolve in 2001 in the family kitchen if Mary and Nigel Rumsey in their family home in Aylesbury. Nigel had pursued a career in catering as a pastry chef for 20 years and whilst working in the kitchens at New College Oxford was asked to make a batch of chocolates for a colleague to take home to his family. Nigel then made a subsequent batch for his own family and the idea began to become a reality. Things snowballed and as demand grew Nigel took the decision to reduce his hours in the college kitchen and focus on making chocolates. “There were customers travelling 30 and 40 miles to knock on the front door asking for our chocolates,” explains Kate. “The reaction was incredible and we then started to enter them into competitions where the chocolates began winning awards and it was at this time that Nigel realised this could be the full-time business he’d always dreamed of,” she adds. Rumseys soon grew out of the home kitchen and before long had found the perfect premises in Wendover and opened the doors on February 14, 2004. As Kate continues, “it was decided that we would have to have a theatre kitchen where people could watch the chocolates being made, and then thought, ‘Why don’t we serve hot drinks and something to eat as well’ so that’s what we did.” With its cornflower blue walls and antique fixtures and fittings, Rumsey’s has a definite scent of Gallic charm. In fact, any film fans could be forgiven for feeling a hint of déjà vu, because the transformation of Rumsey’s from a cottage industry to bustling shop was inspired by Vianne’s shop in the film adaptation of Joanne Harris’ Chocolat. As the business grew, Nigel trained other chocolate chefs himself after perfecting his own techniques in Switzerland and France where he was taught by top chocolatiers. He, in turn, is passionate about passing on his knowledge to the next generation of chocolate chefs. Rumsey’s now provides about 40 varieties of chocolates, many of which are seasonal with provenance over ingredients is taken as seriously as their chocolate. “We always strive to use fresh, local produce and support local businesses where possible,” explains Kate. “We use a local dairy farm for the milk and our eggs and meat are sourced locally, too.” In return, this is a family business that has developed an army of devoted local clientele. “We have regulars who come in every week and in some cases more often – that’s one of the best things about the shop – meeting people and making new friends,” she continues, “and this is what has been so well incorporated into the values by which we operate today.” For Kate, this is a business that she loves, with pride and passion evident when speaking to her about it. “Our family business is all about cake and chocolate so what’s not to like,” Kate explains semi-jokingly, but there is a real enthusiasm and underlying entrepreneurial spirit that is the driving force for the future of the business. Like so many next generation family members Kate had pursued her own professional career within Unilever prior to meeting her now husband and having a son. Life changed and decisions had to be made. “I was commuting to work and quite a lot of time each week was spent travelling to and from the office and I started to question the hours, the role and the commute and started asking myself the ‘why’ question and what was my future going to hold,” explains Kate. “I had been around the business for a number of years at this point and it was growing. Our name is above the door and it was in the heart of the community where I lived. Conversations were ongoing with Mary and Nigel and the question was asked as to whether I was interested in working in the business and clearly decided to get involved and to be honest have never looked back. The values of the business are how I like to work, I love the people and the products and have been empowered to lead the business, make decisions and try new things,” she continues. Like many families in business the Rumseys are clear on their purpose as a business and have defined objectives too. As Kate explains, “It is essentially all about doing what feels right, to take decisions for the long term and to create something that will be brilliant in the future. We are clear in where we want to be and have a great team in place to achieve our goals.” The past couple of years have not been easy but the team have done what they needed to do, made quick decisions and reacted swiftly to the changing regulations and restrictions that were placed upon the business during the pandemic. As Kate adds, “For is it is really a tale of two halves in respect of the café/shop itself and the chocolates. For the café and shop it was a difficult period as one minute it was open and then it was closed and at the time of the first lockdown, just before Easter, we had a massive stock of products ready to go. Clearly we were concerned but the local community were brilliant and supported us and we actually sold out. Having been an integral part of the community for many years it was great to see how well we were respected as a family firm and to get such support from them,” continues Kate. As for the chocolates, the business continues to grow. “Our focus had to change as prior to the pandemic we were very much a local business with a shop on the Thame High Street but things had to change. Our online shop evolved and sales increased. We benefitted from the community in this respect too as many of our local customers were sending our chocolates to friends and family that they could not visit and they loved them and then took to buying them for others too. Online sales have grown and now have a dedicated team working on the online business,” adds Kate. Rumseys have also created a culture where people enjoy working for them. “We have a core team who are brilliant, continues Kate. “Many of them have worked for us for many years now and have become part of our fabric. Season and part-time staff complement the core team and it really does work well. They understand our values and we work to help them develop too.” “Personally, I get a lot of pleasure form seeing our people flourish, enjoy coming to work and doing what they do, learning new skills and really flourishing. One great example is the investment we have made in one of our front-of-house team who had a desire to move into the kitchen and they are now one of our patisserie chefs,” she continues. As family businesses grow they tend to add more structures and processes are developed to accommodate the needs of a growing business. Kate joined Rumseys with plenty of experience from her life in the ‘corporate world’ and has made her mark. “It is great to have the autonomy to make changes and the authority to implement them,” explains Kate. “As a family, we continue to strive to be the best we can be, and life for me could not be better. I live in a community that I love, our kids are at school here and our family is fully entrenched in life in and around where we live. I love my role in the family business and our ethos is values and community based.” Kate stepped in at a time when the business was ready for the next generation. Mary and Nigel have two sons, one married to Kate, but despite being passionate supporters and advocates of the business have invested in their own journeys outside of the family firm. “Clearly they are still involved, love the business and support in many ways,” explains Kate, “but they have not wanted to get too involved, well not yet, but who knows what the future holds.” As Kate adds, “This is a real passion for me and having married into the family, and now being totally wrapped up in the family firm too, life is great. What’s not to love when you are doing something that you love, in a place where you love to live, with people that keep it real. We have lots of fun and let’s not forget that cakes and chocolates are at the heart of what we do. I am blessed to have the support and trust of my inlaws who created and developed the business and who are on hand at all times when we need them.” There are plenty of memories that they all treasure, from the support of the community during the pandemic to their conversations with their regulars. As Kate concludes, “One of the memories that sums up our business that Nigel often shares is that it’s little things which make all the hard work and hours we put in worth it. One of his favourite days was when there was an unexpected snowstorm: all the businesses closed and everyone piled into the shop for hot chocolate after a day’s tobogganing. The snow was falling, the place was jam-packed with people chatting and laughing and he remembers standing in the corner and thinking, ‘this is what it’s all about’ and that is as true today as it was back then.” Kate is well placed to continue to develop this fabulous family business and is full of ideas and plans for the future. We look forward to following their journey which will undoubtedly see them at the heart of the community and producing delicious, sweet treats for generations to come. And it has to be said, that they make the most fantastic chocolates too! Find out more by visiting their website here

Dominic and Maria O’Neill launched O’Neill Classics 2018 and recently opened a stunning gallery in the heart of Weybridge, Surrey to showcase a fabulous collection of iconic photographs that were taken by Dominic’s father, Desmond O’Neill. Paul Andrews met them to find out more. Desmond was an eminent photographer who travelled the world capturing his subjects and was renowned for photographing the jet set and high society. His career started as a photographer working for the Press in Manchester and during World War II he notably filmed the D-Day landings on Sword Beach where he was shot and wounded but remained able to bring the first footage of the landings back to the UK. After the War Desmond worked for leading publications such as Tatler, Vogue and Queen magazines and in his latter career for Hello! magazine. During his career he was recognised as the foremost social photographer of the period and built up an extensive archive of images. He died in 2003 leaving a library of hundreds of thousands of images, many of which are known internationally and are instantly recognisable. Amongst the collection there are tens of thousands of images that have been hidden for up to 70 years, notable amongst these is the collection of motor racing images from Goodwood and Silverstone dating from the early 1950’s, a selection of beautiful pictures from the South of France, Venice and St Moritz, stunning sailing shots from Cowes, historic images from Badminton and Burghley Horse Trials and some fantastic horse racing images to name a few. Desmond also has 16 photographs in the National Portrait Gallery featuring subjects such as Ian Fleming and Maria Callas. Dominic followed in his fathers footsteps and entered the world of photography where he continues to fulfil a great career as a photographer in his own right. Together with his wife Maria, they now own the collection and are on a journey to share with the world some of the iconic photographs, many containing personal memories of events that have taken place in the past century and are a privilege to see. As a family business, Dominic and Maria, are creating a legacy of all legacies, showcasing iconic photographs of the great and the good, famous celebrities and exclusive destinations including Monte Carlo, South of France, St Moritz and the exquisite vehicles on the track at Goodwood to the jockeys at well known racing events, politicians, sportsmen and women and so many more besides. Dominic remembers helping his father out at shoots from a young age with one of his first memories associated with his first photograph making it into the press. As Dominic explains, “It was at the age of 13 that I was with my father at Badminton Horse Trials and taking pictures of some of the riders around the course. One of the riders, was a young Mark Todd who subsequently went on to become the world’s leading rider. I took his picture purely because he had the same name as a friend of mine at school but it became really important as my father never got his picture and it was in demand because he won the event!” Dominic continued to develop his interest in the world of photography accompanying his father on various shoots and his career built from there. It was not always easy though as Dominic continues; “He worked incredibly hard but I did learn a lot from him, probably the most important thing was that it was better not to be seen – photographers are best when not the centre of attention, when they blend in to the background and let the subject take centre stage, something that I still do today.” There are plenty of positives as a photographer too, not least the lifestyle as Dominic explains. “For me, the fact that every day was, and is, different is a real pleasure and I learned a lot from being at shoots with my father who was strict, punctual and fastidious in all that he did. He was the most remarkable person with a great sense of humour, an incredible work ethic and one of life’s best.” Dominic worked with his father for over 20 years and clearly they both have a great eye for taking exceptional photographs, capturing the essence of the scene or the beauty of the individual in the moment. Desmond was world famous and admired for his work. His legacy is a truly remarkable iconic collection of images, many of which make their mark emotionally or a connection with a next generation family member many years after being taken. Dominic and Maria add, “There are plenty of moments where one of the images has made a connection and one that is special to us was from Goodwood where three images were bought by a wife and given as a birthday present to her husband. An emotionally tear- jerking email was subsequently received by us from her husband as he had spotted himself as a young boy holding hands with his late father in the background, a picture that had just come out of archive and never seen before.” The collection is a time capsule of days gone by showcasing traditions, trends in fashion and exclusive destinations and can only be described as a legacy of love that is now being made available. O’Neill Classics is a unique business, built around the skills of a talented family of photographers who have captured incredibly iconic images which are admired globally. Traditions, history and culture of a time gone by captured by the lens. Dominic and Maria continue to uncover more ‘gems’ each and every day and the collection has an extensive following from collectors around the world. One thing remains central to the very ethos of this family business – the pictures themselves. Iconic images, beautifully captured and now being shared with the world from a beautiful gallery in Weybridge in the heart of Surrey. Visiting the gallery is like taking a step back in time, in a fabulously good way, where you are greeted by a fantastic couple who can share the story behind each and every image. Each picture has a reference to a moment in time, capturing their subjects beautifully and each and every one of them deserves their moment, their moment to shine, enabling us to reflect and reminisce in the beauty of the picture, the story behind it and the incredible skill of the men behind the lens who has really captured moments in history that will be their legacy for generations to come. To find out more, to visit the gallery at 90 Church Street, Weybridge KT13 8DL or take a look at the O’Neill Classics website which can be found at www.oneill-classics.co.uk .

Prime Appointments (‘Prime’) are a family-owned and family-run recruitment agency, who believe in doing things differently. They’re committed to building long-term partnerships that boost their clients business and contribute to the growth of the economy in their local area. Paul Andrews spoke to the family to find out more. The Prime journey began over a glass of wine in the local pub when two Witham girls decided to make their dream a reality. Robyn Holmes’ and Margaret Locke’s combined mission to create a recruitment agency with a difference was born. Witham’s recent industrial boom provided the catalyst for the start of the Prime journey over 31 years ago and the rest is written in history. As Robyn explains, “I had been working in recruitment for a number of years and always wanted to do it for myself and Margaret and I got on well, our husbands got on well too, and we had a shared entrepreneurial desire to build something. We formed a plan, secured £15,000 backing from an entrepreneur and we were off!” Not ones to make it easy for themselves, they set out to build the business, with Robyn having a baby Jack in a moses basket by her side (he later becomes MD) and so it grew, client by client. The business was created at a time when recruitment businesses were dominated by male leaders and people were very vocal about what the future would hold for two women setting out in the sector on their own but how wrong they have all proven to be. Robyn and Margaret grew a successful business and sadly due to ill health Margaret retired from Prime and Robyn and her family acquired the shares. They remain good friends to this day and in true family spirit of giving back and a true sense of purpose, the Prime team are focused on raising significant funds to help research in Alzheimers, the illness that Margaret became ill with. Prime made a profit in their first year of trading although this was before paying any corporation tax which wiped the profits, teaching the team a crucial lesson, and one that has remained with them to this day. Fast forward to 2023 and the next generation are now firmly ensconced in the business. Jack, the eldest son is now a director with the plan for him to become Managing Director in 2025 when his sister Katie will become a director, and Robyn and her husband Peter are still involved but less so on a day-to-day basis as the business moves with the next generation. As Robyn continues, “Our vision is to continue to offer a really good service, finding the right people for positions, and as a family firm we have to do just that, with Jack and Katie in their roles based on merit and performance, something that enables us to take a step back too.” Robyn is the first to appreciate that stepping back from a family business is not easy. “This is something that I created, that I have been responsible for growing, and in many respects it is like a ‘third child’ to me. It is hard letting go but it is also important. Jack and the team are suitably skilled to drive it forward in its next chapter and I can add value from the sidelines, guidance from years of running it, and help them take it forward. Change is important for the business to move forward too.” The family have a shared purpose and vision for the business and a succession plan that will see the transition to the next generation in due course too. As Robyn continues, “Over the years we have seen the pitfalls of being in business with family and never wanted that to happen to us. We have benefitted from sitting in board rooms with clients and that has engendered a really good culture within our family where we do have crossed words from time to time but also respect opinions and are able to have open, honest and authentic conversations too. We all need to be open minded and it is this approach that has helped us to evolve.” As Jack adds, “Being family run is really beneficial to our business too as so many of our clients are fellow family run businesses. We get it and that helps us develop the relationships that we have with our clients, many that have been on our journey with us over the past 30 years.” Like many next generation family members there was never any pressure to join the business. Jack and Katie had their own choices to make and whilst Jack started as a temp and progressed with various roles within the business, Katie worked elsewhere for a short time before making her mind up and joining. As Jack explains, “Being a temp provided the opportunity to see the business from the temp side and also the relationship with the client and I got hooked and knew this was right for me. It is a fun place to work with great people around you and from time to time there are special moments such as working in the business with Olly Murs before he became a musical icon and TV star.” Katie adds, “I loved graphic design which I studied at university before getting a job in London. I had begun to think about the family business and eventually decided it was for me. I started on the recruitment desks as I had to gain the respect of the team and despite not being sure if that was my skill set, I have grown into one of our leading consultants and absolutely love it.” As siblings, Jack and Katie are different, with different personalities and traits that means they work really well together. As Katie continues, “I am more like Mum and have an opinion whereas Jack is very calm and considered and knows how to handle me. We get on really well, respect one another and have clear roles and responsibilities and have found a way to work well together, collectively sharing the same passion as the founders to make a difference and drive the business forward too.” As Robyn continues, “We aspire to develop and evolve, ensuring the best recruitment experience possible. With this in mind, our teams work in close collaboration, sharing expertise and knowledge with each other, our candidates and clients. We are a conscientious company that is transparent in all our partnerships. With Jack and Katie now fully involved and leading the business, I am proud to continue to say that we are a family business, supporting other family businesses with their recruitment needs.” The succession process has clearly been a success but as Robyn explains it did not just happen over night. “We had plenty of conversations and considered all the options but it soon became apparent that Jack and then Katie wanted to get involved. Further discussions ensued and a plan was put in place. It is not easy but planning helped and we have not rushed the process either. It is important to keep it simple, fair and to make sure it is as transparent a process as possible with plenty of communication too.” This is a family that are truly engaged, living and working with shared purposed and on a journey together, something that they are happy to share. “As Robyn explains, it is important to retain a focus and a purpose. I lost my best friend to Alzheimers and we had plenty of great times starting out and building Prime. This was where it all started and for me to be able to pass on the baton to the next generation who have the same passion, drive and ethics that Margaret and I had when we started out is a real pleasure and makes me really proud. Family businesses need to focus on the future but it is also important to remember your roots and what went before. These are influences that determine the culture and purpose of any organisation and it is great to see the next generation taking the mantel and driving more change, which is fantastic to see.” “I am immensely proud of Prime, our brand and the position that we have in the community and the legacy that we have already created. I am positive for the future and know that with Jack and Katie the business is in safe hands too.” Prime is well placed to continue their incredible journey. For over 30 years they have been supporting local businesses and there is ample evidence to say that they will be doing it for the next 30 years and beyond. You could say this family business is really reaching its prime and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.

From a one-man start up in 1971 to becoming one of London’s leading dairy suppliers the Allan Reeder story is simply incredible. A family business full of entrepreneurial spirit, drive, perseverance and desire to succeed and despite their success they have never lost the personal touch, something that means so much to the family and the business to this day. Paul Andrews spoke to founder Allan Reeder and his daughter Heidi to find out more. Since day one, they have always dealt with their customers as individuals and there is no way that this approach is going to stop now. They may have grown and moved premises to a state-of-the-art facility in 2019 but it’s still very much a family affair. Their customers know and trust them and that’s the foundation of the personal service that keeps their customers in dairy products and keeps them in business. The journey began back in 1971 with a young Allan, one lorry and one customer. He had previously worked as a sales executive for Express Dairies before he took the decision to set up on his own business working 6 days a week and went 15 years with no holiday. These were very difficult times and to supplement his fledgling business he would clean windows on a Sunday to help pay the mortgage and support his young family. Despite this, he has never looked back. The business began the year that daughter Heidi was born and he was committed to building something successful right from the start. As Allan explains, “You must believe in what you are doing." "You must love it and I love what I did then as much as I love it now. It’s the way we have always worked and after the large company experience and knowing that it wasn’t for me, I wanted to create something different.” “I believed in what I was doing and never doubted myself, even when it got hard. We started off small, but I had lots of contacts and worked on them to our advantage. I never tried to take on anything too large and even if that had been on offer, we would have struggled because we were a small operation. I just asked for a small piece of any contract to supply and built-up business relations, generated trust and faith in what we could do and that got the ball rolling,” continues Allan. This was a family business through and through as Heidi remembers fondly. “I have been involved with the business forever and remember from a young age being in the office helping with the invoices and as a toddler with my older brother Tony, when our brother Chris was born, being taken out in the lorry on deliveries with my dad!” As Heidi continues, “It is amazing the memories you have when you grow up in a family business too. I used to get in the lorry and take my shoes off at every delivery and drove Dad mad. I now have a daughter of my own and she does exactly the same thing and it drives me up the wall! Like mother, like daughter!” For Heidi, joining the family business was pretty much inevitable. “I had a job with British Airways when I left school but was ready for a new challenge. I spoke to Dad and said that I wanted to work for him. I knew I had to fully commit and not just dip my toe in and got involved with all areas of the business. It was not easy though as I knew I was the boss’s daughter and I remember the first few days when I was in the office and was scared of answering the phone, not to mention having to pick up the phone to call customers for orders!” Like many next generation members joining their family business, Heidi knew that knowledge was key. “I had to learn all aspects of the business and knew that was the way to generate respect and trust in my skills and abilities, and also move with the business as it constantly evolves,” she continues. “When Dad first started out it was all about serving bakeries and their needs as customers with little in the way of milk being delivered. Back in the day it was all about cream and butter. Liquid eggs followed and the business took off.” Being in the right place at the right time with the right connections proved invaluable to the business too. At the time, the chairman of Chelsea FC, Ken Bates, had a farm and was delivering milk to London. Allan and Ken met and this led to the goodwill of the business being bought from Ken, with milk still being obtained from Ken’s farm, and supplied by Allan Reeder to the customers across the capital. A great relationship flourished into the 1990’s and in particular during the boom time with restaurants opening in London which proved good for all parties concerned. Restaurants were opening across London almost daily and Heidi saw the opportunity to move into this area forming long-lasting relationships with chefs – some of whom were fast becoming household names. Many of these relationships still exist to this day with the chefs they trained taking Allan Reeder Ltd with them as they moved on to run kitchens of their own. Like all family firms that stand the test of time, being nimble and evolving to meet the needs of customers is key. As the nation started to buy more bread and cakes from the supermarkets and bakeries started to close, the restaurant sector became more important and Heidi moved into a role finding new restaurants to supply. The business continued to grow, with relationships at the heart of the growth, the values that stood Allan in good stead when he started out, remaining front and centre and the differentiator for this family business. Reputation for quality customer service, doing the right thing and treating the customers as individuals continued to make a difference. With coffee shops starting to appear on every high street, a growing relationship with the team at Brades Farm put Allan Reeder Ltd in the perfect position to supply the growing demand for specialist barista milk. Sponsorship of the London Coffee Festival followed, cementing their place as a leader in this expanding market. Like many family firms the pandemic was a difficult time for the business, not least because they had not long moved into a massive new facility and invested for the next stage in their journey. As Allan adds, “We had to make almost instant decisions in order to survive. We were also holding plenty of perishable produce in stock so announced that we could provide milk, bread and eggs to prevent them having to be destroyed and the queue with people from the local community was incredible. It was the right thing to do and it was a really positive thing to do at a time that was troubling in many respects due to all of the uncertainty. We went from a total staff of 152 to a core team of twelve, five of them family, and had to carefully plan the way forward.” As Heidi continues, “Dad was over 80 at the time and should have been shielding but there was no way he was going to stay at home when the business was facing such a difficult time and we had to do our bit to keep supplies going to where they were needed - he was out delivering to our customers!” For Allan, the business is his driver and a true passion. “I love getting up early and coming to work and although I am not actively involved in the day-to-day operations so much now it is fantastic to see the business working and getting involved when I am asked. I see things that others don’t always see and it is great to be able to help out when I can,” he continues. Family are involved in this business on a daily basis from Allan who is still in the office daily, to Heidi who is the director overseeing the sales team and customer service, Ben dealing with scheduling and logistics and James running the night shift and looking after the driver team – day or night there is always a Reeder around! Looking at where the business is today, Allan is still slightly amazed. “At the beginning I had to build the business one day at a time and had no idea of the growth potential and when setting out it was all about generating a nice living, to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. I never set out to build a business of this size, nor that the next generation would want to get involved and take it on like they are doing. For me, it was about a better life as an owner of my business rather than being employed by someone else,” continues Allan. The Reeder family have this business in their DNA. The same values that drove Allan to be successful are driving Heidi and the team today. “I love this business and am proud to come into work each and every day. Dad’s work ethic is incredible and this has been passed to me and my siblings.” The next generation are now heavily involved in the running of the business but as for the future, the subsequent generation are an age range of ten to 24, so who knows if any of them will find their way into the business. Allan would clearly love the business to continue for generations to come but is also very pragmatic. “You have to love the business to drive it forward. The current team are enthusiastic and as passionate about the business as I am so that will help to drive the growth and they will have to see, when the time is right, what the next chapter will be for this business.” The Allan Reeder family business story is remarkable and the octogenarian that founded it and is still in the office each day is inspirational. Not only does he look many years younger than his age but his spirit and love for what he does is infectious. He loves his business. He loves his family. He loves what he has built with a passion, and rightly so. As he concludes, “I started life living on a farm in Suffolk, one of eight siblings, just before World War II. I lived through six years of the war and would describe that time of my life as a period when we had nothing but yet we had everything. It was a good time and I entered national service at the age of 18, leaving home for the first time, taking up a position in West Kirby, Liverpool.” “My journey ultimately led me back home and then a job via a friend as a chauffeur. That led to an interview for a job as a delivery driver for a milk company in Maidenhead and being given the opportunity to drive an 18-tonne lorry and having to be trained after getting the job because I had never driven one before! That dairy was bought by Express Dairies and the rest as they say is history,” continues Allan. The remarkable story of one man and one lorry growing to a business employing over 100 staff and a turnover of £40 million is incredible. It means a lot to Allan, as it should, and his remarkable tenure at the helm has created a great business. They have a great brand and a great reputation. Family are at the heart of the business, and not just the Reeder family. Plenty of the staff are related to one another and there are numerous examples of different generations that are working for, or have worked for, the business. Allan is full of praise for the team. “It is the people who deliver the service to our customers daily. They know their customers and go the extra mile to exceed their expectations, just the way that I did on day one and it is fantastic that this commitment goes back to our origins. We have a great team and they are important to us as we move forward.” “The business is in safe hands, family and non-family and I am truly proud of the business that we have created. The past is the past and it is important to look forward, to focus on the future." "It is important to push forward, to never sit back and to always seek to be better, do better and to focus on the most important aspect for any business - the customers,” concludes Allan. As Heidi finishes with, “This is a great business that Dad created and in many ways, it is like another child to him." "It was his dream and he worked unbelievably hard to make it happen." "As the next generation, we take it on willingly, with passion and determination to build on the foundations that he has created and to continue the same work ethic, the same beliefs and the same values that have got us to where we are today.” Family businesses are important. Family businesses have purpose, authenticity and integrity and Allan Reeder Ltd is up there with the best of them. There is an aura about the business, a charisma and charm about the leader, a humility that is palpable and a pleasure to be able to share their story. We look forward to the next chapter. Find out more at www.allanreederltd.co.uk

Kent’s original vineyard, Biddenden, is now run by the second and third generation of the Barnes family, drawing on many years of pioneering activities making wines at Biddenden. Originally home to a 40 acre apple orchard, the family started to consider diversifying the farm in the late 1960’s as apple prices began to decline. In 1969, one third of an acre of vines was planted and Biddenden Vineyards was born. Paul Andrews spoke to Julian and Tom Barnes, the second and third generation, to find out more. As Julian explains, “Today our single estate vineyard spans 26 acres of gentle, south-facing slopes situated in a sheltered valley, just outside the picturesque Wealden village of Biddenden. We grow 12 different grape varieties that are used to produce our award-winning white, red, rose and sparkling wines. Our first wine was bottled in 1972 and production has grown to around 80,000 bottles a year with all the vine work on the estate still carried out by hand, including pruning, canopy management and picking.” Julian is passionate about the vineyard and the business that it has grown into, driven by a desire to be sustainable in the long term and to pass it on successfully to the next generation. As he explains, “The journey for the family and the business has been a gradual process and something that we have considered over the past few years. Essentially, we have been putting the next generation at the forefront of the business as a natural succession process where they get to see and experience first hand all aspects of the business and how it operates.” “As a family we are very lucky as we have three sons, all of whom are very close and I believe very strongly that it is these strong family bonds and the fact that we are all heading in the same direction that sets us in good stead for the next chapter here at Biddenden. We all know what the end goal is and are working towards it.” As Tom continues, “Ive had a passion for the business from a young age even if I didn’t really know how that would fit into a role as I grew up ive always been involved with the vineyard, turning boliers on and off before and after school to helping on the bottling line at weekends. I like being out in the vineyard a hands on approach which is needed for growing fruit to make wines. I guess it was inevitable that I would end up in the business. My brothers are also involved and it is great that we have complimentary skills too.” Julian is rightly proud of his sons and their involvement in the business. “I am really proud of what they are doing, even more so from a business perspective as they have come in of their own want. We never put any pressure on them or insisted they get involved and they all went off to college, travelled and then came back after doing their own thing which is fantastic. They are all driven, hard working and live local so their connection as a family and within the business remains strong too. Tom is the eldest and the problem solver, Sam the communicator who also runs his own business in the same sector and Will is meticulous at whatever he sets his mind to so we are fortunate to have three boys with such a broad and complimentary set of skills going forward,” he adds. The start of the business is also steeped in a great story as it all came about because Julian’s mother had been listening to Woman’s Hour on the radio. As he explains, “We had been growing food crops post World War II to help the country get back on its feet but the returns were dropping and were considering options. There was a piece on the radio that she heard about vines being planted in England and the potential to develop a new source of good business and the family decided to give it a go! The rest is history as the business grew, based on hard work and a desire to succeed which has helped with our story, and the fact that we were the first vineyard in Kent sets the start of the story so well too.” The foundations were set and the vineyard grew, the wines gained notoriety and won awards and the brand is now well established. There is always a lot to do and each day is different. As Julian explains, “One minute you are planting vines, the next dealing with customers and the day after having wine poured for you by a sommelier at a top London restaurant. It has been quite a journey for us and one that continues and it all started because of Mum and Dad who were just trying to make a living and put food on the table for the family and took an educated and pioneering risk to plant the vines when they did.” As a family business and an owner that is moving towards stepping back and passing more of the day to day operations to the next generation, Julian is aware that Biddenden is special. “The farm and the surroundings are a beautiful place to run a business and we are blessed with the location but it is so much more than that. During my tenure we have created something special and what is really important to me is the fact that we have been custodians of something that has grown up and become established due to the continued investment into something that was started all those years ago and is now going to passed to the next generation. That is a real legacy and something that I truly value.” As Tom continues, “Being the next generation to take over a family business like Biddenden is exciting but equally challenging at the same time. Knowledge is crucial to the ongoing success of our business, as is listening to our customers and continued investment and innovation. Stepping back from the coal face and focusing on the business is also important to make sure we deliver our goals and that we do not get entrenched in the day to day operations but not always easy when you work in such a dynamic environment as we do. We are looking forward to custodianship of the business as the next generation and keen to embrace the opportunities and responsibilities that it brings to us as the next chapter in the Biddenden journey unfolds.” Sustainability and doing business the right way is also integral to the way that the vineyard operates. Plenty of investment has been made to grow the vines in the best way for the environment with initiatives that include: Local labour force Furthest vines from the winery are 600 metres Everything is produced on site at Biddenden Managing the environmental side of the vineyard habitats, areas for wildlife and staff to enjoy during breaks as Tom concludes, “Sustainability is a word that is used far too easily in the world we operate in. My view is you can only be sustainable once your are profitable and it has to be that way round it is more than just environmental efforts as we are custodians of a business that is embedded in the local community." "The most important rule as a family business for us is that it is also ‘home’ so any decisions we make need to be considered based around the long term plans for the business, the community and the staff we employ. leading from the front to continue to deliver award winning wines and embracing opportunities that come our way. Whilst there is no fourth generation in the wings currently we are striving to maintain our core values and to stay true to our roots and our story, making sure that Biddenden stays a family business for generations to come.” Pioneers back in 1969 when they planted those first vines, the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit remains in the next generation and we are excited to see what the future holds as the next chapter in their journey unfolds.

Marion Darlington started making her award-winning range of products in the 1980’s and now in her 80’s she still verses all recipe creation in the family business which is now run by her daughter, Sarah. Paul Andrews went to meet Sarah to find out more. This is a family business that literally started around the kitchen table. A surplus of eggs from the family farm led Marion to use them up by making batches of Lemon Curd. As Sarah explains, “At that time 100 jars was a typical level of production and the jars were then sold on the egg round in local towns and villages with empty jars being collected by the Brownies and we labelled the jars after school for which we were paid a halfpenny per jar.” That was how it all started. A simple concept that took off as increasingly more people wanted to purchase jars of the now world-renowned Lemon Curd. Such was the demand that Tom Darlington converted some of his farm buildings into a large kitchen area to enable production to increase. As Sarah continues, “This was when they took on their first employee, a lady called Janet, and to help pay the wages, Marion and Janet also began making cheesecakes to sell to local pubs and restaurants. Marion extended the range of products available too, adding Lime and Orange Curds, Orange Marmalade and Sweet Apple Chutney, all derived from recipes passed down from my grandmother.” This is a family firm that clearly has an entrepreneurial spirit at the core, something that has stood them in good stead over the years with relationships with both customers and suppliers key too. As the business grew they used these relationships to help them, not least the assistance of a friendly pickles firm in Manchester who helped by selling them empty jars for all the new products that were being introduced. In 1983, Marion was approached by Mrs Idien, a fruit farmer from Woore, to see if there was any interest in purchasing their surplus, something that led to them adding jams to the product range. The business grew further when two local garden centres took on the range which was spotted on the shelves by some fine food wholesalers who also decided to take on the products too. The word was spreading and the business began to grow further. As Sarah continues, “Ladies from the local village who already dropped by the farm to collect their eggs in the morning stayed for longer and helped Marion and Janet meet the growing demand. The range extended further into chutneys and following a stall in the Women’s Farming Union tent at the Cheshire Show, word spread further afield." "It was at this time that I joined the business for what I thought was a temporary role and had no idea at that time that I would still be here all these years later!” Sarah was encouraged to get more involved and helped the business to continue to move forward. “It was an exciting time for the business but being a family member did not result in any special treatment. I was treated just like the other staff and learnt a lot from them, working together to grow and one of the biggest decisions that we had ever taken was to relocate to Lancaster Fields in Crewe as we had outgrown the farm. This gave us the opportunity to create and launch even more products and by 2002 we began exporting products to Sweden,” she adds. Teamwork and a passion to create delicious products is evident throughout the business and their loyal team, many of whom have worked for the business for many years. “We pull together and share the same values,” continues Sarah, “values such as loyalty, fairness and integrity, to each other and the brand." "Like any business, profit is important but the people are important to us too. From the people that make our products to those working in the farm shops that sell it and especially the customers who buy it and enjoy it, appreciating that everything we do is from the heart.” Community is an essential ingredient of this family business too. “We started on a farm supplying eggs to the local community and this sense of place and belonging is something very close to us. These bonds remain important today and we remain active in the Young Farmers community and support plenty of charities and causes locally too,” explains Sarah. Sarah embraces the heritage that comes with this brand, recognising the input of both her parents in creating what has become the business it is today. “They were both up for the challenge and embraced all the opportunities that came their way. Dad was great and finding solutions to make things work and even today his purpose-built wrapping machine is still in use in the warehouse with his name above it. It’s lovely to see it every day and to be able to continue the legacy as he is no longer with us having passed away a number of years back. Marion is still very much involved and continues to be part of the ongoing journey that would not have been possible without the two of them,” she adds. March 2020 saw the 75th anniversary of VE Day and a special limited edition run of two of their bestselling lines was produced – Legendary Lemon Curd and Strawberry Jam with a donation from every jar sold made to the charity SSAFA, an organisation that provides invaluable support for today’s soldiers and their families. The pandemic followed and was far from an easy time but the business, as it was helping to feed the nation, stayed open, with changes being made to keep staff safe and the sense of community was reinforced. As Sarah continues, “These were strange times and we needed to keep people safe which was our priority but the whole team were amazing and our values came to the fore with everyone stepping in where they could to keep things moving.” The past few years have seen plenty of changes with innovations in production and storage. Sarah herself was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2021 for her services to charity, something that she commits plenty of time to alongside running the family business. “It was an extremely proud moment for me, made all the more special to receive the award in front of Mrs Darlington too!” she adds. As a business, there is no standing still and for a business that was born out of a desire to use up surplus eggs, there is still a desire to be the best that they can and to continue to please the taste buds, in the UK and further afield. Jams, curds, chutneys and preserves continue to be made to long-standing family recipes that have passed down through the generations and are enjoyed around the world daily. As Sarah concludes, “We have a great team who really are great custodians of our products and who continue to embrace the evolution of the business and the brand. It has been an incredible journey and one that I am delighted to be continuing as a legacy of what was started all those years ago." "The journey continues but our values very much stay the same – to continue producing products we love, with love, with a team that pull together to make it happen each and every day.”

In 1973, a young Pat Gallagher, encouraged and supported by his good friend Pat Burke, purchased his first digger. Fast forward fifty years and it is incredible to see where the journey has taken them and resulted in the creation of one of the largest and most recognizable family-run businesses in Kent. Pat is still heavily involved in the business today. Paul Andrews caught up with him to find out more. Pat was born in 1949 in Ballinamore in Ireland to hardworking parents who in October 1966 took the brave decision to move the family to Aylesford in Kent in pursuit of greater employment opportunities. As Pat explains, “I tried my hand at several professions before starting work for Pat Burke and little did I know at that time what an influence it would have on my life. It was Pat who loaned me the first £2,200 to buy my first digger and he was the one that told me to go it alone as ‘there was enough work for everyone. So that’s what I did. I started out on my own and Gallagher’s was born. I may not have been the best digger driver in Kent but I got by and it was the start of a journey that has been truly special.” The journey had begun and shortly after Pat founded the business his wife Mary joined him to manage the accounts and transform the business into a family business. Between 1976 and 1980 Pat and Mary had four children; Richard, Lyndsey, Nicola and Stephen, all of whom are very proud of the business that their parents built. Richard, Lyndsey and Stephen all work in the business today. In 1988, Pat purchased Hermitage Farm with the belief that there was stone underneath the ground to quarry. He was proved right and the business expanded with the creation of Gallagher Aggregates in 1990. The aggregates side of the business has gone from strength to strength and has become a leading supplier of aggregate and concrete materials across the South East of England. From humble beginnings, the Gallagher Group has developed into a business with a turnover in excess of £150 million and employs over 500 local people, some of them who are second of third generation members of the same family to work for the business. This is a family business that is fully embedded in the local community and appreciates the responsibilities which come with being such a major employer locally too. As Pat explains, “Back in 1973 all I wanted to do was to build a successful business and provide opportunity for my family." "It was always my aim to offer an unrivalled service to clients, something that is integral to what we do and how we operate today, but none of this would be possible without the people that make the Gallagher Group what it is." "Right from the start, we have been fortunate to employ some of the very best people in the sectors in which we operate and source many of them from the surrounding areas too.” 2023 sees the Gallagher Group celebrate 50 years in business, a significant milestone for any business. As Pat continues, “The journey of our business hasn’t always been smooth and I look back to the 1980’s and 1990’s when it felt like we were in survival mode most day and sometimes were even beyond our limits, on various fronts." "Thinking back to those times reminds me of our incredible team spirit and the dogged determination of our people that got us through. It was our people that supported me and encouraged me to battle through and continue to build the business, based on relationships, strong family values and embedded attributes such as trust.” Pat ran the business during a period where company values were rarely discussed, let alone written down or published and words like trust, integrity and honesty were not banded around as freely as they are today. “Trust was essential at times,” continues Pat, it was the currency that we survived on. Those that trusted me knew that they would get my absolute all to repay that trust, knowing that we would do everything to honour our commitments, and those that I trusted very rarely let me or the company down.” “We all just knew instinctively what was required, we pulled in the same direction, working together to go the extra mile without hesitation or being asked. We had fun, enjoyed the business and as we Irish would say, we’d have plenty of craic and there wasn’t much time for politics.” Like many families in business, Gallaghers has had to evolve over time. Times have changed and so have regulations, reporting, compliance and the way that businesses are run too. As Pat continues, “Our jobs are now more complex, fast-paced and intensive, but personally we are better equipped, more supported and we have risen to the challenges we face. We have come a long way but where we have come form is history and whilst it is important as it has shaped who we re today, it is important not to become complacent, lose focus on what is required or lose what makes us different to our competitors.” Gallaghers continues to evolve and has always had an eye on the future, taking meaningful steps forward at crucial times, seeking advice as required and building from the foundations that were created all those years ago. Times change and businesses need to adapt and evolve, something that has been front and foremost for the team at Gallaghers as the business has grown. Values were discussed and written down, shared company wide and embedded into the culture. Gallaghers are proud of their values: We are customer focused We go the extra mile with customers, be friendly, listen and focus on their needs and requirements. We are passionate and confident We Insist on quality with a great attention to detail and take pride in our work. We work as a team We support and respect each other at all times. Work together without ego or arrogance or game playing. Get involved, trust, encourage, share success and have fun. We are a business of character We act quickly with energy and enthusiasm whilst being responsible, accountable and honest. We are solution driven When there’s a problem we find solutions through innovation, determination and positivity. We listen and are eager to learn We strive to be the best with no cynicism. We challenge and value contributions being open to new ideas whilst encouraging innovation. “We have undergone significant transition in recent years,” continues Pat. “I am truly encouraged by all of the changes and know that the company is in good hands." "We have a committed, energetic and agile leadership team, including our next generation with Stephen and Lyndsey stepping up with key roles in driving the next chapter of the Gallagher journey, and a team that will steer the ship for many years to come.” The succession process left no stone unturned with values being defined, roles clarified and purposed defined and shared. Moving from generation to generation and managing a succession process is not always an easy process to undertake but honest and open conversations help the process. For Gallaghers, this was a major turning point, as it is for many when the business is passing from an entrepreneurial founder who has developed the business from the start, to an entrepreneurial next generation. As Pat continues, “The transition to the next generation has been stretching for all concerned but we all recognised that it was necessary for the continuity and continued success of the Gallagher Group." "We worked together over a number of years and have developed a robust yet straightforward succession plan which started with a blank sheet of paper and evolved into a plan that works for us and means that we continue to employ the best, recognise everyone’s contribution and provide ample opportunities for growth, development and success.” “As part of the process the next generation sat down together to explore all the options available which resulted in Richard managing the farm and estate which is very much his passion, Nicola continuing her profession as a teach of business and essentially acting as a family Non-Executive Director to the business and Lyndsey and Stephen are now on the Board, driving the business forward. I am delighted with the way that the process evolved and it is great to see all of them happy, doing what they want to do, in roles that are suited to their skills and where they add real value to the business too,” adds Pat. Succession planning does not happen overnight and one of the keys to a successful transition is time, and for Gallaghers, their investment in the process and work undertaken over a period of eight to ten year has come to fruition. Lyndsey and Stephen echo the words of Pat too, adding: “The four of us found our why, what we wanted and we actually prepared and delivered a presentation to the board to explain our position and thoughts for the future. We pleasantly surprised them and have given them reassurance for the future, reinforcing the values and purpose that are embedded into the business and delivering our commitment to the board and the business too.” Lyndsey and Stephen are well aware of the journey that this business has been on and witnessed first-hand the hard work and commitment that Pat and Mary put into making it work. They saw the hard work, the tough times and the entrepreneurial spirit, underpinned with strong family values. It is these values that are embedded into the culture of the business and values that the next generation are totally bought into as well. Both of them worked outside of the business for many years before taking roles within it, experience that stood them both in good stead for the roles that they took on. Since joining, both have flourished, taking on more responsibilities and demonstrating their abilities, working hard and delivering results for all to see. “We know that we are committed and everyone else can see that too,” continues Lyndsey. “We are a family business and proud to be one and appreciate all of the responsibility that comes with being one of the largest family firms in the region too. We see ourselves as guardians for the future and not just for the next generation of Gallaghers but our people and their next generations too.” Family values. Purpose defined. Engaged next generation. These are all pillars on which the business will embark and build in the next stage of the journey. Fifty years is a fabulous milestone but the business has places to go, plans to fulfil and a journey that undoubtedly will continue for many years to come. Pat is delighted with the outcome, and excited for the next chapter. “It is fantastic to see the next generation taking the lead but never in my wildest dreams when I set out with champagne expectations and a lager budget did I expect the business to become what it already has. I am proud of what has already been achieved and delighted that it has passed to the next generation and really excited about the future and the plans that are in place. Whilst proud of our history, I am excited about the future too." "Over the years we created a rough diamond and that has certainly been polished over the years and turned into something truly special.” Gallaghers is a great business and 2023 is a year of celebration. There is plenty to celebrate and plans are in place to make 2023 a golden year for the business, the stakeholders, the staff and their families and the broader community too. Today, Gallaghers strive to be the best at everything they do and provide all their collective skills, products and services in a personal, friendly and professional way. With a solution-driven approach and a positive attitude, their aim remains to exceed client expectations whenever possible. The work ethic and values underpinned the approach that Pat and Mary took to creating a business, values that remain true to the business with the work ethic, honesty and integrity throughout the organisation defining the every essence of Gallaghers today. Gallaghers is unequivocally a family business which resonates and celebrates being a family business at their heart but driven to be commercially successful and to be sustainable for generations to come.

As a fourth generation family business, the family of innovators at The Fine Bedding Company have spent more than 100 years investing in better bedding. Woven in the finest luxury materials, and responsibly manufactured in their European Eco-factory, their bedding is premium quality and made to last. A certified B-Corporation, Paul Andrews met the next generation to lead the business, Claire Watkin, to find out more and gain a better understanding of the substance behind the sustainability of this pioneering family firm. The business was started in 1912 by the Great, Great Grandfather of the current generation as a small family company originally supplying large cruise liners and ships, before focusing on developing luxurious, solution-based bedding products. Claire’s father, Paul Black had worked for the family business since age 16. It was producing the feathers to be used in mattresses that were sold to the liners docked in Liverpool and Paul was afforded the opportunity to purchase this part of the business and he took it and the business grew from there. As Claire explains, “They developed the business and the customer base and by 1977 the business was supplying the likes of John Lewis, as we still do today, building the business on strong family values and relationships and customer service at the core. This is very much the essence of who we are today with a focus on people at all levels and delivering a great experience too. It began and remains a passions, local and community based brand.” As a fourth generation British business with over 100 years of innovation behind them their united purpose at work is simply to create bedding that is better for people, better for businesses and better for the planet, something that will resonate with others working in family businesses around the world. As the current leader of the business, Claire followed her own dreams before entering the business. As she explains, “I graduated with a degree in marketing and was considering what I wanted to do, not sure if it was going to be with the family firm or not, but knew that I loved to travel and was thinking about what I was going to pursue as a career.” Her father had developed the business and invested in its future which included the opening of a new state-of-the-art production facility in Estonia by this time, and it was the opportunity to travel and get involved in an operational capacity that resulted in Claire joining the business. “I took the role and was involved in the operational side in Estonia,” continues Claire. “We were supplying products to IKEA at this time and there were regular factory visits which I oversaw and made sure that operationally we were delivering quality products day in and day out.” At the same time there was a move from an old cotton mill in Oldham to their current head office in Manchester which is where they continue to grow, innovating products and building the narrative of the business into their brand. Sustainability is also firmly on the agenda as Claire continues. “We want to do business the right way and take pride in the approach we have to people and the planet. Obtaining the B-corporate accreditation was fantastic as it cemented our approach to business and the way that we do things and recognised all of the endeavours we have made over the years to produce quality products the right way too.” This is a business that cares, and is not standing still as they seek to continually make improvements from sourcing better cotton to developing fully recyclable products, developing new materials that are kinder to the planet but retain excellent qualities to provide the perfect night’s sleep, and focus on the factory to embrace all of the latest technology available to minimise the impact they have on the environment. As Claire explains, “There is only one planet and we take our responsibilities seriously. We want to make products that customers love but in making them, make sure what we do it as beast we can. We have changed the way that traditionally products like ours have been made and pride ourselves on a zero waste factory, making use of 100% renewable energy in production and pushing boundaries in terms of what is actually possible to do too.” New products continue to be introduced and enhancements made in what is clearly an innovative business. Recent introductions include a duvet made from a biodegradable fillings combined with Tencel, made from wood pulp. These are products that will stand the test of time and are setting new standards within their industry too. Claire is passionate about the sustainable agenda and one of the focus areas of her degree was ecology and biology and as she explains, “I joined the family business to continue the legacy of a business set up all those years ago but with a real desire to change the way that we made things for the better. I wanted to push the boundaries and to see where we could get and introducing a fully recyclable duvet proves that we are doing just that and positively contributing to a fully circular economy and that means a lot.” Things have changed in a relatively short time too. “Back in 2014 all of the waste from the factory was going into landfill but now we are a zero waste business and we achieved it step-by-step over time, which is a massive achievement for us,” she adds. “Our team are all bought into the vision and our unified purpose and values have been embedded in all of our staff and they all help us in making things better too. Our culture has meant that everyone has a role to play and that they understand how their role feeds into the bigger picture and our overall purpose and that is the strength of who we are as a family business today,” continues Claire. Sustainability is such a big topic and something that Claire is fully appreciative of. “Family firms like ours want to make a difference and fundamentally have a desire to do business the right way, but it is not always that easy. There are so many rules and regulations that businesses need to comply with that there is not always enough time in the day to focus on the bigger topics, like sustainability, and there is not always a lot of practical information available to help either. We focused on small steps, making a difference at each and every step and over time have moved progressively further down the road to doing business better,” adds Claire. Initiatives that have worked well for this family firm include reducing energy consumption, selling waste, developing products that last longer and pursuing the B-Corporation accreditation, something that many family firms have embraced too. “The accreditation itself is a real journey and a learning curve but it helped as we gained engagement from the whole team across all areas of the business. It was the glue to our purpose and ensured that over time we all became like-minded and passionate about the way we do things, and the purpose-oriented culture is not only good for business but has helped with recruitment too,” explains Claire. The past few years have not been easy for anyone in business and the ongoing challenges around the economic climate continue to have an impact too but like many running a family business time is one of the major challenges today. “There are so many exciting opportunities for a business like ours and with an ongoing changing retail environment there are just not enough hours in the day to do them all! For us, it is all about doing new things and doing what we currently do better, not trying to do everything at once,” she continues. This is a family business that has family at the very core. Claire is one of five daughters and has three nieces and seven nephews, with two children herself, so there is a next generation in the pipeline too. “The next generation are young so who knows what the future holds but they have already shown diverse skills, some in retail and some in embroidery so there are some attributes to the way their careers are starting out that may well fit the needs of the business at some time in the future,” adds Claire. “They are all encouraged to follow their own dreams, as I did, so let’s wait and see when it comes to the next generation too,” she concludes. As with all family business leaders, roles change over time too and for Claire it is easy to see how. She has overseen the creation of a family firm embedded with family values, unified and shared purpose and created a team that are aligned in their thinking, ambition and drive to succeed. For Claire, the time is now to help drive and shape the next phase of their journey with team members who are empowered to drive change, encouraged to try new things and excited to see where the business can go next. This is a family business with a visionary leader, exceptional products and an aligned team who continue to make change happen. With sustainability and innovation embedded in their culture too, they are set to continue to push boundaries and remain pioneers too, continuing to develop fantastic products that enable us all to get a good night’s sleep time and time again. We look forward to seeing the next stages in their journey as it unfolds. Find out more at www.finebedding.co.uk

When Clement Brewer opened the first Brewers Decorator Centre in 1904, his ambition was to supply the professional decorator with everything they needed for the perfect finish. Fast forward over a century and Brewers are open to all at over 220 locations and online, supplying decorators from professionals through to DIY customers, with the right products for decorating across the UK. Simon Brewer is the fourth-generation family member to lead the business which remains true to the mission of his forefathers when they set up the business – to be the destination of choice for decorators and to play their part in making the world a brighter place. Paul Andrews went to meet Simon to find out more. This is a family business that continues to grow, building on their heritage but clearly mindful of the future. Brewers are serving more of the UK’s decorating community than ever before. Their teams are experienced with many long serving colleagues, they are commonly handing out 40 year service awards and even the odd 50 years award! This is something that is not uncommon amongst many family businesses across the UK and testament to the way that they are treated by their family employers. Simon is well aware of the responsibility that he holds as the leader of a business that will celebrate 120 years in business in 2024. “It is an honour to be the current custodian of our family business and focus on the next stages of our journey." "Since 2020 we’ve accelerated our growth adding new stores every year and we have no plans to slow down!" "Our mission is to go out of our way to help our customers succeed by doing what we do and doing it well. We marry the benefits of being a large business; great prices, nationwide service, market leading digital experiences, with the qualities of a small business; where individuals and their actions matter and everyone is appreciated.” Family values permeate Brewers and whilst they embrace the past and their heritage they are aware of their responsibilities for the future. Sustainability is a key area of focus for Brewers and it is their intention to be carbon neutral by 2040. “We want to do business the right way and be recognised for making the right impact,” continues Simon. “We will do the right thing and not achieve our goals by offsetting but by real difference in the way that we operate. We recognise the need for all colleagues to have an appropriate work-life balance and to be responsible business owners.” Values matter to Brewers. This is a family business with a strong moral compass, seeking to be upstanding and aspiring to be a model business, and not just a model family business. “Good governance is essential for any business and we need to have structures in place to enable good challenge. We are entrepreneurial in our approach to what we do and keep pushing forward." "Over the years, Brewers has evolved and like most other businesses are fully engaged in the digital arena which enables us to find new routes to market, showcase the products we have in different ways, and improve our customer experience. Digital is an exciting development and it has enabled us to be bold, be curious and for our people to be empowered to try new things.” Simon is not alone in the business and works closely with his brother, Charles, they provide each other a good sounding boards for discussion. “We bounce ideas off each other and provide a good challenge when it comes to making decisions." "We are acutely aware of the past and the heritage that being a long standing family business brings but also have a focus on what needs to be done to create an agile, dynamic, sustainable business that will remain in good shape for generations to come too.” With stores across the country, the brand continues to grow and like other growing family firms with multiple sites, Simon is aware of the importance of being available. “I want to be present, to be seen by colleagues, and make sure as many people as possible have a chance to tell me what they are thinking, and for them to know that we appreciate the work that they do. It helps to reinforce our values and the very essence of who we are as a family business,” continues Simon. This is all part of the Brewers community and embracing its people, empowering them to make decisions and make things happen. But community goes much further than colleagues. Their head office, Albany House, is In Eastbourne and has close ties with the local community, something that is mirrored by stores across the country where they get involved with plenty of local charity initiatives. Community is what they are all about and it shows. As Simon adds, “Ever since our doors opened in 1904, we have spent over a century providing expert knowledge, friendly advice and the finest products. But of course, people are at the heart of everything we do as we serve local communities across the UK as well as further afield.” “We have been involved in lots of great projects over the years; one in particular comes to mind when we celebrated 100 years trading on 2004 we partnered with Challengers which is a charity that runs play centres, respite and support for disabled children. They make a massive difference to the lives of the people who are engaged with their services and it is a great organisation for us to be involved with.” Each year Brewers commits significant funding (plus many thousands of litres of paint!) to support applications from charity projects that come from within the communities that they operate. In addition they choose to partner key charities over the longer term. Challengers, a charity working with disabled children across the south of England was their chosen charity when they celebrated 100 years of trading in 2004. They donated £1 million to enable Challengers to build a whole new centre in Farnham; the relationship of support is as strong as ever some 20 years later with regular colleague visits and an ongoing programme of support. Each year Brewers commits significant funding (plus many thousands of litres of paint!) to support applications from charity projects that come from within the communities that they operate. In addition they choose to partner key charities over the longer term. Challengers, a charity working with disabled children across the south of England was their chosen charity when they celebrated 100 years of trading in 2004. They donated £1 million to enable Challengers to build a whole new centre in Farnham; the relationship of support is as strong as ever some 20 years later with regular colleague visits and an ongoing programme of support. As well as projects in the UK they have a focus on the most disadvantaged overseas with a long term commitment linking their own brand ‘Albany Durable Rhino paint’ to support Save The Rhino International. A significant relationship for them is their connection with a mission hospital in western Kenya. Teams of Brewers colleagues have visited the hospital over the last decade to help and during that time funds donated have significantly improved the hospital’s facilities including a new eye clinic, maternity ward, critical unit and staff accommodation. This is a family business that continues to make a difference supplying paints, wallpapers and all manner of DIY tools and decorating materials that transform homes, buildings and public spaces daily. This is a business that cares, has a unified purpose and family values at its core. They continue to evolve, creating a business that is fit for the future, with a strategy that is aligned to their destination and set the standard for doing business the right way. Family remains at the helm, building on the impact of previous generations with each generation making their mark and shaping a business that continues to grow. Their heritage is incredible and it is great to see historical artefacts and reference to the past proudly on display throughout their stores, celebrating where they have come from. This is not just a nod to the past but a celebration of their roots, their history as a business founded way back in 1904 and recognition that they have come such a long way since opening their first decorator store all those years ago. A nod to the past yet an eye firmly fixed on the future. As Simon concludes, “We are extremely grateful for those who have gone before building the firm foundations of the business today. The joy today is seeing brilliant people empowered to continue to develop and build the business is ways that are relevant today and for the next generation to come." “It’s important to enjoy what you do, to have fun and make a difference and it is a privilege to continue to play our part, as a distinctive family business, in making the world a brighter place.”

BE Uniforms, formerly known as Border Embroideries, was founded by Billy and Shirley Anne Smillie in 1989 using a single head embroidery machine purchased with the help of the Prince's Trust. With around 30 years of experience supplying schools, businesses and clubs across the UK and beyond, BE Uniforms have become one of the UK's leading specialist uniform suppliers from their purpose-built factory based in the Scottish Borders. Paul Andrews went to meet William and Ross Smillie, the second generation, to find out more. BE is a family business with family values at their core, a business that quite literally started in the bedroom of the family home on day one and has grown very much as a result of the hard work, determination and endeavour of the founders, Billy and Shirley Anne. As Ross explains, “Mum and Dad have always worked hard and clearly led by example with their work ethic which is second to none. Like many starting out on their new venture, they worked incredibly hard, starting out supplying some products to the local golf course. The business began to grow, growing further as a result of Scotland winning the rugby Grand Slam in 1990, and at that point bigger machines and larger premises were needed. These were found in an old workshop in Greenlaw belonging to Billy's father Archie in which 3 new multihead machines were introduced to cope with demand.” As the business grew, partnerships began with a number of local schools and embroidery for their uniforms and the supply of other items such as ties too. This growth saw them outgrow their premises and in 2000 the business moved to a purpose built factory in Greenlaw just outside Duns which the family constructed and saw a further 3 multihead machines added and more staff employed to meet demand. As William continues, “Dad was growing a successful business and the reputation for our service was gaining momentum and he saw the potential to expand further. Not content with supplying direct to schools and clubs, he moved the business into retail with the opening of our first store in Glasgow in 2005 through a National Schoolwear Franchise.” “With continued growth the factory was extended for the first time providing a larger office and dispatch area. At roughly the same time the franchise became available in Wishaw so BE took on a second store. Our sister, Aynsley joined the business and now can be found managing the school accounts in the office.” Over the years the business continued to grow with more retail stores added and further extension of the factory, not to mention continuing investment in machinery, staff, retail outlets and staff. “It has been a great journey, “continues Ross. “In 2020 we rebranded from Border Embroideries to BE Uniforms. We're still the same company but have now combined the 3 sub brands - schoolwear, workwear and teamwear - as a testament to our 30 years in business providing uniforms across the UK.” “In late 2020 all stores underwent a transformation and now proudly display the new brand name above every door. The rebrand also opened us up to focus more on the workwear and teamwear markets." "So now, as well as our extensive range of school uniform, you’ll now find an unrivalled selection of workwear and teamwear in store, from industry leading brands such as Helly Hansen, Mascot, Snickers, Portwest, Canterbury, Adidas, Joma and Kappa.” In March 2021, Billy took a step back from the business and son’s Ross and William took over as the Managing Directors of BE Uniforms. "This was a very proud moment for Shirley-Anne and I as it has always been our wish that the children will take on the mantle of the business and hopefully progress it to the next level,” adds Billy. Like many next generation family members, life in the family business may not have been planned but that is where both William and Ross have found themselves, and now lead the business very successfully. For William, the route to the business was via a stint at university. “I had no real intention of working in the family business and after school took a gap year, working a little in the business and then heading off to Edinburgh to study geology. Every day I got a call from my Dad asking me when I was going to be back working in the business and after six months and realising that university was not for me I returned to the business." "To be honest, returning to the business was the best thing I could have done. I started our managing the stores, spent time in sales and production and over the years have gained experience in all aspects of the business, something that I did from the bottom up and this has really helped me move through the ranks and continues to really help me in my role today.” Ross entered the business straight from school. “I joined at a time when we had just launched our first website for schools to enable online uniform ordering and my first role was to oversee the web generated business from printing the emails as they came in and picking and packing the final orders. The website continues to grow to this day and we now service over 1700 schools.” Ross and William's take over has injected some new ideas into the business, allowing BE Uniforms to drive on further, with Billy not too far away now acting as Chairman. Daughter Aynsley is also still actively involved in the business, although as of August 2021 she is on maternity leave after having her third child. William and Ross are now joint Managing Directors and whilst this may not work for some businesses, it works really well at BE. “We get on really well and share an office but what makes it work is the fact that we have very complimentary skills,” continues William. “Ross runs the websites and marketing side of things and I am responsible for the day to day operational side of things." "We balance each other out and it works well. If anything is a challenge it Is Dad!” “Dad built the business and knows everything about it. It’s like another child to him,” continues William. “He had a handle on everything, although there were not many systems and automated processes and as the business has grown, this is something that we have introduced. The business is now supported by comprehensive systems and processes which gives us the information we need to run the business as it continues to grow but is a very different approach to the way that Dad ran the business in the early years. Like many of his generation, he sometimes struggles to appreciate the change, although knows it is needed but I guess that is how a family business evolves.” As a second generation management team they are fully aware of their leadership responsibilities that come with taking on a growing business. “We have a trusted adviser who is like a mentor to us, giving us guidance and support and offering a good challenge too,” adds Ross. “We run the business by facts and figures, decisions are driven by the data and that helps us too. Dad always ran the business on the bank balance and had a full understanding of the figures in his head. He was amazing but over time, BE has grown and the systems and processes have been a necessary addition to the way we operate.” BE continues to go places and has a strong management team in place, with Dad an integral part of the team too. “Dad wanted us to step up and take over and that is what we have done,” continues William, “and we understand what needs to be done and how to do it but he is full of knowledge and wisdom and that is really beneficial when it comes to our strategy and it is great to have his input too.” Like plenty of other family business leaders, Ross and William do not find it easy to switch off. As Ross continues, “Even on holiday it is hard because you are always thinking about the business and what is going on and the holiday gives you some breathing space, which is great time to step back and think about the bigger picture so it is hard to switch off, and to be honest when it is your business I am not sure you fully want to either.” Growth continues and whilst the pandemic was a challenge it also afforded BE some opportunities. “The pandemic didn't slow us down and we were extremely fortunate to have seen a huge growth in online sales. As businesses began to open back up again, 2021 saw us open 3 new retail stores - the first in Edinburgh, which opened in May 2021. The Edinburgh store, located on Dundee St. now stocks over 20 local school's uniform plus our wide range of plain schoolwear, workwear and teamwear.” “In June 2021 we acquired The Uniform Shop on West Tower Street in Carlisle - our first store over the border! We rebranded the store to BE Uniforms and then reopened, offering the same great services as our other stores, plus many local schools uniforms and lastly. we also opened our first concession within Planet Sports & Trophies on Great Lime Road, Newcastle. This acts as a face-to-face service for our local customers, a Click & Collect point plus a drop off location for any online returns. They can also see sizing sets for schoolwear before they place an order online,” explains Ross. The next generation of BE are like their predecessors, living the values that have clearly been embedded in the family – hard work, strong desire to succeed and doing business the right way. “Mum and Dad always worked hard, right from the start and it is important to both of us that we put in a good shift,” adds William. “We work hard because we want to and are always looking for new opportunities. One of the biggest challenges for us in the seasonality because there is a significant peak in demand, especially for school uniforms before the start of each new school year. Workwear is an area that we are investing in and it continues to grow and this will certainly help remove some of the seasonal peaks that we have historically faced.” Workwear is a great opportunity for the business and the second generation are making their mark on BE. “The business continues to evolve and grow which is really exciting,” continues William. “We are based where we grew up and have strong allegiance to the Borders and the businesses that we support here and our loyal, long-serving staff, but we are growing further afield and that is really exciting. Mum and Dad worked incredibly hard and we plan to do the same, building on the business that they created an developed and we continue to grow and diversify." "Dad loves the growth and is always looking for new retail spaces, even when we have no firm plans to open any more, but that is because he still sees opportunity.” “Family is important to us and the family business enables us to work together and see each other on a regular basis. We have plenty of plans for the future and who knows what the future will hold but there will be plenty of hard work and continued evolution too,” concludes William. As Ross Adds, “We are lucky that we love what we do and none of us shy away from hard work." "The family values and ethos that we have lived and breathed growing up certainly stand us in good stead going forward but we are excited about the next stages in the BE journey." "It’s incredible when we look back to where it all started with one machine in the bedroom to what we are doing today and it is important that we do celebrate where we have come from and all that the team continue to achieve too.” We look forward to seeing the next stages in the BE journey.