I was born in Corbridge and grew up in Northumberland in a family home surrounded by arty crafty influences. Both parents were very creative and even went to pottery evening classes when I was very young! Art always featured somewhere in our days whether it be play early on on the ‘clarty table’ ( my brother and I could make as much mess as we wanted as long as it was on our little table which Dad made us known as the clarty table) or sketching what we saw on holiday and always only because we wanted to. At school I hadn’t a clue what I wanted to do and when choosing my ‘O’ levels, art and textiles were pushed out to make way for French as it was important to have a language in your choices back then. Little did I know what I would end up doing many years later!
So eventually I went to Huddersfield Polytechnic as after working in the local hotel in my village I decided a carer in hotel management was going to be my thing. Left poly had various jobs all over the place and loved them all. Joined Swallow hotels in 1990, North East based company and I am sure because of this 9 (yes I am biased) it was such a friendly caring company to work for. All changed when the company was taken over 10 years ago and work life changed beyond recognition. Change is good you know and exciting but this change wasnt, I was moved over to run a hotel in Preston which I enjoyed and did this for 4 years. During this time we changed hands yet again and life became unbareable so I started to look for something different to do. Applied for all sorts of jobs and often got the ‘you need the right bit of paper’ to qualify for the job reply.
Whilst on holiday in Turkey in October 2005 I was reading the Country Living magazine and flicking through the adverts in the back. All kinds of things to buy if you had a mansion and lots of money to match, however I read out one for Pottery painting parties and immediately my husband Robert shouts up ‘you could do that you know’. Not wholey convinced I had a surf about when we got home and found a Ceramic teacher over in Pontefract who was running a course the following weekend. So off I went for 2 days and basically came back announcing we were going to have a Paint your own pottery studio and I couldnt wait to hand in my notice! Of course Robert’s feet were firmly on the ground and brakes were applied. Discussions took place into the wee small hours, figures were worked and re worked. And then to cut a very long story short and many challenges later Fired 4 U was opened officially on 8th July 2006 although we had been open for 3 days before we did the official opening. I just couldnt wait to get going
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