Why I Work In… is a regular feature where we ask people about their jobs and the industry they work in. This time it’s Rebecca Clacher, founder of Birth & Baby Hub in Holmfirth.
Rebecca Clacher is based in Holmfirth and the founder of Birth & Baby Hub. She is passionate about giving you the support you need during pregnancy and that all-important first year of parenting. You’ll find nurturing, parent-centred hypno-birthing and antenatal courses, as well as breastfeeding and postnatal support.
Rebecca runs The Nest, a non-profit parenting space in Holmfirth, and enjoys supporting families from pregnancy right through to pre-school age. Rebecca has supported hundreds of families in Yorkshire and beyond with breast and bottle feeding and runs her own community breastfeeding group at The Nest.
Tell us a little bit about The Nest?
The Nest is a lovely venue in Holmfirth Tech in the centre of Holmfirth. We’re here to support parents and carers with children under five, and our focus is on parental wellbeing and early years development. We run all sorts of classes, sessions and workshops – from art, music and yoga, to feeding and parenting support, through to workshops on topics like maternal anxiety.
And what’s your role – how would you describe your job to an alien?
My role is technically managing director, which means I’m responsible for everything that goes on at The Nest! This involves fun things like running classes and sessions, and some of the less fun things like financial planning and reporting.
How long have you worked in this sector?
I left my career when I had my daughter, and then retrained as an antenatal educator. I’ve been working with expectant families for a few years now, and then trained in baby signing, postnatal support, and it’s all carried on from there.
What skills make someone a good venue manager?
Resilience and problem-solving. It is such a diverse role. I can be sweeping up mushed banana one minute and on the phone to a funding body the next!
What’s your advice for people looking to get into your industry?
It sounds clichéd but when you want to run a business, if you don’t have the passion for it, it won’t work. At the start I had to work every waking hour, and it was the joy of supporting parents and being around babies that kept me going.
If you could describe your job in only three words, which would you choose?
Heart-warming, challenging and validating.
What do you most love about it?
It would probably be quicker to say what I don’t like about it (admin and marketing!) I love meeting parents and families and being a little part of their journey at such a precious (yet challenging) time in their lives. I love receiving feedback about how The Nest has been a really important part of a parent feeling more supported and confident. I also just love seeing the smiles and having the odd cuddle with a baby!
What word would your clients use to describe you?
Just one word? That’s really hard! I’ve already used ten… I’d say… Supportive.
Where do you hope your career may take you?
I don’t have an exact plan, but I’m really excited about where this will take me. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone and I’ve gained so many new skills and confidence.
If someone is reading this and thinks, I’d love to work with Rebecca, what should they do?
Head to The Nest’s Instagram or Facebook and give me a shout! www.instagram.com/nestholmfirth or www.facebook.com/nestholmfirth
