Posted: 11th March 2016
Vicki has run her own consultancy as an executive coach and training consultant for over 23 years and is now combining her passions for personal development and gardening to develop a range of luxurious products infused with home grown ingredients such as lavender and roses, comfrey, mint, rosemary, nettles and blackcurrants.
Each handmade soap in the range is developed to create particular mood based on the essential oils and ingredients in the soap. E.g. lavender soap is designed for relaxation. Each soap is then wrapped in paper embedded with flower seeds and the label has an exercise or technique to help create that particular mood, so the lavender soap has a short relaxation exercise you can try.
In addition to growing and drying ingredients from her garden in rural Walk Mill she also sources ingredients from her self-catering holiday cottage on the Isle of Islay and collects driftwood and shells from the deserted beaches for her range of decorative hanging soaps.
“I wanted to combine my work and love of gardening to develop truly indulgent, natural products. The range is inspired by my greatest passions in life; plants, gardening and helping people develop their potential. Every element from the ingredients to the packaging is designed to create a moment of calm away from their hectic everyday lives”
Since Henry Weston founded Westons Cider in 1880 there have been five generations of Westons spanning the business. Helen Thomas, Henry’s great-granddaughter, became its first female Managing Director in 1996. During her twenty years in the role Helen has spearheaded Westons’ growth, increasing turnover from £5.5m to £60m. The company now employs just over two hundred people.
Helen became the first woman to be elected Chair of the National Association of Cider Makers, which represents both the larger producers and the many hundreds of smaller scale cider makers.Helen held the position of Chair for two years and is still actively involved with the NACM.
She is currently a member of both the Pomology and Policy Advisory Committees.
