In the press

Women and Manual Trades - April 2007

Down the drain

Kerrie Keeling (founder of A Woman's Touch, a femail construction company based in Wimbledon) was welcome to Buckingham Palace last month, to attend a reception for women in business hosted by the Queen. Among the distinguished quests were Sharon Osbourne, Cath Kidston, Sarah Doukas (owner of Storm model agency), and Jo Fairley (owner of Green and Black's).

Kerrie shook hands with th Queen who asked about A Woman's Touch, and went on to casually comment "oh Anne would like that" as Kerrie was passed down the welcoming committee which included The Princess Royal and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Later during the champagne and canapes reception the Queen approached Kerrie to comment how it had been difficult to persuade some women to attend, when faced with the competition from London Fashion Week, but Kerrie said the choice had been easy for her!

Kerrie set up A Woman's Touch in 2003, making the move from an Investment Banking career, because she was fed up with her own experiences of the building trade and felt things really need to be shaken up - and that's exactly what she's done. The company employs 20 staff, 17 of whom are women, specialising in trades such as plumbing, carpentry, tiling, plastering, electrics and decorating. Currently operating within the London area, Kerrie is planning national expansion later this year, which will include rolling out the new and exclusive DIY training business - run in the comfort of client's own homes.

Kerrie has recently been honoured with two prestigous awards - she won the NatWest everywoman Business Woman of the Year Award, and was runner up in the O2 / Evening Standard Aspirational Business Award ("room for improvement" she jokes!). The company's advertising slogan is "A Woman's Touch - The cowboys are quivering in their boots!"