Two minutes with Emily Whitehead

By thindmarch

Emily Whitehead co-runs Alton-based eco company Simply Staffordshire with her mother Maggie Peet. Here, the 36-year-old, who lives with her husband, Andy, and sons, Archie, aged seven, and Fred, aged four, in Croftshead Avenue, Denstone, talks about her career and two new day courses.

What did you do for a living before setting up your business with your mother?

I worked as a regional manager for a pharmaceutical company and then for a green parenting charity called Babygroe – 'groe' standing for green, recycled, organic and ethical.

When and why did you set up Simply Staffordshire?

It was set up at the beginning of 2006 as my mother and I had always wanted to have a business that brought people into Staffordshire, but in an environmentally-friendly way. We began with the self-catering holidays which we run, and the courses came second.

Why did you feel there was a need for your new course Green Housekeeping?

When I had the children, I started to think about my green credentials. I began using washable nappies and thinking about how I was washing my children and their clothes, and how I was cleaning the house. A fun course offering advice on such matters seemed logical to me, because lots of people talk about green housekeeping, but they don't know how to start going about it. They wonder, for example, if it's going to be expensive or whether things will be as clean and antibacterial if they start using eco-friendly products, and also if their whites will no longer be as white.

And the Grow Your Own Food course?

Our family have always grown our own food and it's satisfying to know where something has been grown, what has gone into the soil and that it is economical. It's also about getting back into the natural rhythm of how things work so that, for example, rather than eating strawberries in December that have been flown in from goodness knows where, you wait until June and have absolutely amazing strawberries that are in season. It's also nice to go past the supermarket knowing you don't need to stop off for potatoes because you have your own.

My mum also runs the North Staffordshire Organic Gardeners group and she noticed that a lot of people were starting to grow their own food.

The course is about holding people's hand while they get started, giving them confidence, offering advice and helping them to not make mistakes.

What satisfaction do you get out of running the business and the day courses with your mother?

When I worked in the pharmaceutical industry, I did quite a bit of training, so I love being with people and I love the idea of building up a rapport with them. My mum and I get on really well, and while she's good at ideas, I tend to manage the day-to-day running of the business and the paperwork. It's also about getting people to discover the Staffordshire countryside.

To find out about day courses, call 01889 591844 or 07736 414425, or email enquiries@simplystaffordshire.co.uk