A Cumbrian photographer has won an award created by a Dragons’ Den star.
Small Business Sunday was set up by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis in 2010 and the community now has 4,000 members.
Kerry Jordan, 46, runs Fur & Fables, which takes photos for the pet industry. She said she had tried to win the Small Business Sunday Award for several years – but after two of her pet business clients won within two weeks of each other, with images which she had taken for them, she decided to try for herself again and won too!
Kerry started her career as a personal assistant in London, but after finding her passion behind the lens over a decade ago, started branching out and went into wedding photography, quickly getting shortlisted for regional awards.
When she then started taking photographs of her own dogs and winning awards for pet portraits, people stared approaching her to commission shoots for their dogs, and pet businesses soon followed.
New head chef for Henrock
Lake District venue Henrock by Simon Rogan has a new head chef.
Mark McCabe, originally from Scotland, has been appointed to the role at the restaurant at Linthwaite House Hotel, Windermere.
Mark’s appointment follows four years as chef owner of The Ethicurean restaurant in Bristol before the restaurant closed its doors in the autumn. Prior to his time at The Ethicurean, Mark was part of the team at Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage in Dorset, after training in kitchens in Paris as well as Lancashire.
Mark takes over from Cillian Hennessy, who will step into the role as Aulis development chef.
While Mark and the Simon Rogan team will oversee the day-to-day running of Henrock restaurant, the hotel’s breakfast, and all-day food offering, to include the more informal bar and conservatory menu, will be overseen separately by Gerald Van Der Walt, head chef of Linthwaite House Hotel which is part of the Leeu Collection of hotels.
Mark is also a former finalist of the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year and reached the judging chamber in the 2023 series of BBC’s Great British Menu.
Cranstons’ Sue Carr hangs up her apron after 30 years
A long-standing team member at Cranstons has hung up her apron after 30 years.
Sue Carr has worked behind the scenes at the family firm in the production kitchens, plus on the shop floor since she joined the company in 1994.
She worked at Cranstons’ Fisher Street premises in Carlisle, which was a smaller shop with a large commercial kitchen in the back. Sue was part of a team producing cooked goods for all of Cranstons shops. In 1999 a bespoke production unit was built in Penrith, and the commercial kitchen in Carlisle shop was converted to retail. Sue helped set up, and worked in, the new production unit in Penrith for five years, before returning to Carlisle as a shop assistant.
Philip Cranston, and shop managers Mark Mallinson and Ian Haworth presented Sue with retirement gifts and thanked for her hard work and dedication.
Mark said: “Everyone’s going to miss Sue, she’s been a loved and respected member of the team throughout the years. She brightens everyone’s day, and knows everything there is to know about Cranstons. We wish her all the best, and we are looking forward to hearing stories of her retirement.
