Meet the Locals!

Debbie Saunders

of Wits End Weight Ltd

How long have you run the business?
I have been involved in the weightloss industry for 6 years with the last year owning the Ideal Weight franchise.

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
I live just below the Skirrid mountain. Everyone who visits mentions the incredible feeling of peace and tranquility

Tell us something about yourself
My passion in life is the Blues and I’d love to visit New Orleans.

Tell us something we don’t know
The combination of what we do is unique. There are hundreds of diets out there but nobody else does specialist coaching but that’s the bit I love. I also use my experience of Hypnosis and NLP. My passion is to help people achieve their potential, feel confident and happy.

Tracey Prall

of Canine Connections

How long have you run the business?
Two years

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
I love walking with the dogs in this area so I make regular trips up the Skirrid, Sugarloaf and Blorenge and Bryn Arw.

Tell us something about yourself
I like to do indoor rock climbing in the winter; it helped me work through my fear of heights!

Tell us something we don’t know
I run educational talks to local schools on Dog Safety and How to be a responsible owner.

Andrew Williams

of A.W. Property Maintenance

How long have you run the business?
A year and a half

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
I love the scenery around Abergavenny

Tell us something about yourself
I prefer 2 wheels than four and can often be seen riding my motorbike or mountain biking

Jon & Sacha Child

of Kings Arms Hotel

How long have you run the business?
1 1/2 years (Took over January 2013)

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
We love Abergavenny for the mountains, I never tire of looking at them or how they change on a daily basis

Tell us something about yourself
Having both worked in the industry all their careers, both Jon and Sacha are award winners in their fields. Jon winning General Manager of the year with Intercontinental Hotels Group across the whole of Europe and Middle East and Sacha winning the prestigious Acorn Award for young achievers within the industry (Previous Acorn Award winners include celebrity chefs: Gary Rhodes, Marcus Wareing and Jason Atherton.)

Tell us something we don’t know
Not many people know about our bedrooms or fabulous function room. Our 11 bedrooms are individually designed and offer some of the most comfortable accommodation in Abergavenny. Our function room offers a flexible meeting space for up to 100 people, ideal for family parties, weddings, business meeting and training sessions. Pop in and take a look around.

Sharon Evers

of Sharon’s Toyshare

How long have you run the business?
The business was formed at the beginning of this year and had a launch party on May Bank Holiday, with the first toys hired in the few days afterwards

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
We love the people, who have been so supportive, not just with the business but continually since we moved here from Llanelli 3 years ago

Tell us something about yourself
Sharon’s first language is Welsh, and she is passionate about the language. She is secretary of Cylch Meithrin Y Fenni and helps with the Welsh playgroup Ti a Fi Dewi Sant in Mardy hall on Wednesdays. Sharon is also a bilingual qualified nursery nurse (NNEB)

Tell us something we don’t know
We are the only toy hire company in Wales hiring toys for either parties or for home hire

Emma
Corfield-Walters

of Bookish

How long have you run the business?
We celebrate our 4th Birthday on October 4th.

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.

I love the uniqueness of the High Street in Crickhowell, you can pretty much buy everything you need and the vast majority of shops are independent and family run. The community is very supportive and our regular customers have become firm friends. There are very few High Streets like this left.

Tell us something about yourself.
I have started to learn to play the samba drums, I just wish I had more time!

Tell us something we don’t know
You won’t find a Book-ish on every High Street, just this one… that’s pretty unique!

Mandy Knight

of Amanda Jayne Shoes

How long have you run the business?
I launched my business on 14th March 2013 and moved into premises in Abergavenny on 15th November 2013.

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
Monmouthshire is an absolutely delightful place to live, with its rolling hills and breath-taking countryside. When you couple this with the fantastic local food, restaurants and marvellous independent stores that are available, where, on earth, could be better?

Tell us something about yourself.
Something quirky about me – I have recently taken up running and am hoping to complete the Cardiff Half Marathon in October. I may be spotted running the streets of Abergavenny –always starting and finishing at The Angel!

Tell us something we don’t know
Working very closely with 2 manufacturers in Italy, I am able to offer a bespoke service to my customers. If you like a shoe in the Amanda Jayne collection but would prefer a different colour or a different embellishment, or indeed a much sought after small, half or large size, we are able to provide a hand-crafted shoe, especially for you!

Tom Lewis

of The Marches Delicatessen

How long have you run the business?
2 Months!

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
Beautiful countryside, dramatic scenery and at night a sky packed full with stars. Also I should mention the incredible local produce found throughout the area, which makes sourcing produce a treat.

Tell us something about yourself.
Up until June 2014 I was living and working in London. I’m delighted to have opened my own business and to have moved back to the area of Wales I grew up in.

Tell us something we don’t know
We stock many locally sourced cheeses, meats, chutneys and other treats made in and around Monmouthshire, all of which can be sampled on request.

Iolanda & Dean Jackson-Johns

of Cashbrokers

How long have you run the business?
We have run our business for 4 years

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
The seven beautiful hills surrounding the town – Iolanda has walked up (and down) all of them

Tell us something about yourself.
Iolanda loves to sing – she has been a member of the town’s Bach Society and now sings with Rock Choir in the town

Tell us something we don’t know
We are also a jewellery exchange – you can buy, sell, exchange or borrow on your jewellery and precious items

Lyn Crossman

of Easy Jive

How long have you run the business?
I’ve been teaching jive for 20 years
Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
Small towns and villages are so much more relaxed and friendly than cities so the lessons and dances are always lots of fun.
Tell us something about yourself
I used to be a scuba diving instructor. I also once danced with Franky Manning (he was one of the first people who ‘invented’ jive at the end of the 1920s – without him jive/rock’n’roll dancing would not exist).
Tell us something we don’t know
Considering we are out in the sticks, there is a big dancing scene round here with rock’n’roll/swing dances happening every weekend

Hannah & Pete Hill

of Focus Magazines

How long have you run the business?
3 years

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
We’re not native to this area – Hannah being from London and Pete from Northampton. When we arrived in Abergavenny over three years ago we didn’t know anyone or anything about the area. Nowadays, we are fully embedded in the community and have a fabulous circle of friends. We feel very happy and settled here and so lucky to have found the place that we plan to call our home for the rest of our lives.

Tell us something about yourself
Alongside running the Focus, Hannah is a part-time psychologist. She heads up a team of behavioural therapists in London and specialises in Autism. She also speaks fluent spanish and french. Fluent-ish. Pete loves nothing better than hunting for mushrooms and fungus. He is yet to teach our dog, Ludo, how to successfully hunt out truffles.

Tell us something we don’t know
Many people don’t realise that Focus Magazines is made up of just the two of us. We do everything from article writing and graphic design, down to the less glamourous stamp licking and envelope filling. When you speak to Focus Magazines, you’ll reach either Hannah or Pete.

Angela & Arlene

of FORTYSIX

How long have you run the business?
We are now 1 year and a whole 3 months old!

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
We live in one of the most outstandingly beautiful, unspoilt areas of the UK. Luckily not too many people know that!

Tell us something about yourself.
We are both farmers’ wives from the glorious Olchon Valley – but did not want to be on hand for making lunch and feeding lambs EVERY day!

Alejandra VelascoFlamenco Classes

How long have you run the business?
My experience as a teacher,choreographer and dancer began in Spain at the age of 16 and in the United Kingdom since 2003.

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
I didn’t know Crickhowell until a few months ago, but I fell in love from the first day. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place, I love it!!

Tell us something about yourself
I’m a very simple person, I like spending time with people I love. Most of my friends and my family are in Spain so it’s difficult sometimes, but I have my partner and he makes things easier when I’m homesick. He is my rock.

Tell us something we don’t know
Nearly all my life has been dedicated to learning and teaching Flamenco. I find it a wonderful discipline, and when teaching dance, I try to teach to my students the ability of expressing emotions with the face; showing joy, pain, romance, anger. Flamenco is also about speaking only with gestures and telling a story without any words other than the poetry of the body. It is an excellent aerobic exercise recommended at any age that offers the possibility of enjoyment and keeping fully fit.

Sam Pearce

of Pink Angels

How long have you run the business?
W2 years and 4 months, along with Co-Director Penny Pressler

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
Originally coming from the East Sussex coast, I find the mountains fascinating. The landscape constantly changes, purple heather scales the slopes in summer, whilst the bracken turns fire red in autumn. I feel extremely blessed to live here and to be bringing up my young daughter with an outdoor lifestyle.

Tell us something about yourself.
I am a huge vehicle enthusiast. I enjoy riding my 600cc motorbike in the evenings and at the weekends I love going to car shows and watching motorsport with my husband and young daughter. I have been fortunate enough to provide admin support to a car club for a number of years and as a result had passenger rides around many race tracks including our most local track at Llandow in Bridgend and one of the most prestigious; Silverstone Circuit!

Tell us something we don’t know
Although we primarily service other businesses, our office (based in Abergavenny town centre) is open to the public Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm and we welcome customers to pop in for photocopying, laminating, typing, comb binding, scanning and to use our email facility. No appointment is necessary, our prices are very competitive and no job is too small!

Frances Pearsall & Nina Meredith

of Sue Ryder

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
Both Frances and Nina love Abergavenny because it has managed to stay a local market town and they also love all the customers that come into the shop.

Tell us something about yourself.
Nina has recently just volunteered in Marrakesh to help orphaned and disadvantaged children and really loved the experience

Tell us something we don’t know
Sue Ryder offer a wide range of donated goods including Furniture and Electrics. We will also have a huge Christmas Range of new goods this year.

Lee Jowitt

of Lee Jowitt Auto Repairs

How long have you run the business?
Been in business 2 1/2 years

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
As I was born and bred in Abergavenny, I just enjoy being in this area. Having my own business here is the icing on the cake!

Tell us something about yourself.
At the weekends, I love to spend time with my family. I also enjoy going out on my road bike for fitness and fresh air!!!

Tell us something we don’t know
We provide everything for the motorist under one roof!

Jo Colla

of Ladybird Pottery

How long have you run the business?
I started Ladybird Pottery in August this year.

Tell us something you love about the area in which we live.
I love the strong community spirit.

Tell us something we don’t know
My three rescue chickens often join me in my home studio. If I leave the door open when I’m working with the clay or loading the kiln the chickens come in and have a look around seeing if they can help, or just find a comfy spot to sit down.