THREE BEARS COOKERY CLUB

I have always had a passion for home-baking. Around the age of 14, I picked up my mum’s ‘Be-Ro’ book and started trying out the recipes with whatever was in the cupboards. I’d perfected Eccles cakes (as they were one of my dad’s favourites) amongst many other bakes like cherry pie (using cherries off our tree) by the time I headed off to university (to study English Literature and Language – another passion in my life). Baking became a hobby and my mum used to take my cakes into work and I made birthday cakes for her colleagues too.

I qualified to be a secondary English and Drama teacher and taught children in secondary schools for over nineteen years in total. Throughout my teaching career, my baking was always a hobby and I continued to bake for friends, family and colleagues. I also attended a cake decorating course at night school and, although not professional, it built on my self-taught skills. Starting some kind of business crossed my mind many times but, with having no business knowledge or experience and being so busy English teaching, I guess I was put off.

Following the birth of my first daughter, five years ago I reduced my hours and went part-time in order to give myself more work life balance. However, following the birth of my second daughter and finding I was still doing a lot of work in the evenings and at weekends, I started looking for an alternative that would provide me with more flexibility around my young family whilst also challenging me, utilising my skills set and the things in life I’m passionate about.

After reading about the Three Bears Cookery Club, I decided to email the owner, Ruth Chubb. I explained my background and current situation and why I was interested in the franchise opportunity she offered. Following this, Ruth sent me a copy of the franchise prospectus to read through and we arranged to have a meeting over Zoom and talk through the questions I had. After this, I took time to think things through, discuss with my family and plan financially for leaving my secondary teaching job and purchasing the franchise. We then had another Zoom meeting to discuss things further – and following this, I’d made my final decision!

I felt elated having found a new career that was everything I was looking for. I read Ruth’s story discussing the circumstances which led her on her journey to starting up the Three Bears Cookery Club, and much of it resonated with my being a mother to young girls and considering how best to manage my own future. Ruth was welcoming, approachable and knowledgeable and with our love of baking, we share a common ground. I am enthused and ready to see where this journey will take me.