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This month, Extra Help was delighted to welcome our franchisees from across the UK to The Bristol Hotel for our Annual Franchisee Conference and Awards. It was a particularly special celebration for us, as this October also marks Extra Help’s 16th birthday. It’s the one time of year when our whole network comes together under one roof and the room was buzzing with energy from the moment the first coffees were poured.
Some of our franchisees have been with us for over a decade, while others only opened their doors recently. Yet by the end of the day, everyone was swapping stories and advice like old friends. That’s the beauty of the Extra Help family!
A day to learn, share and recharge
Our founder, Claire Robinson, opened the day by looking back at how far we’ve come over 16 years, before franchisees introduced themselves and their businesses to the room. From there, the day was a mix of practical, hands-on sessions, fresh ideas to take back to their franchises, and plenty of time to share challenges and top tips with people who truly understand the Extra Help journey.
Attendee feedback; It has been really valuable – from the networking part, meeting the other franchisees and discussing our similarities in the day to day running of the business as well as talking about any difficulties we may have encountered and how we have overcome them. Also the Birdie update was really informative. Favourite part of day? The talk by Claire was very useful and will really assist in my self-awareness and how to help me recognise when I am becoming overwhelmed both on a professional and personal level and then how to mitigate this. This in turn will lead to better wellbeing and hopefully benefit myself and our franchise.
We also made sure franchisees understood the importance of looking after themselves as well as their businesses. Running a home-help focused company is incredibly rewarding, but it asks a lot from you, so we included sessions on focusing on positive mindset, wellbeing, setting boundaries and building a business that works around your life, rather than the other way round.
Attendee feedback; I have really enjoyed the day. My favourite part of the day has been chatting to other franchisees and taking time out from the day to day running of the business to reflect and think about next steps for me personally. I found the Saboteur exercise interesting and there are lots of things I will take from it. It has raised my awareness of my personal traits.
On day 2, we all met for a face-to-face Power Hour session, which is usually held as a virtual, weekly meeting, enabling franchisees to raise queries and seek advice from their peers.
Good day, the conference was organised and informativeMy favourite part of the day was having a chat with the other franchisee , learning their way of work. My favourite part of being part of Extra Help has been the opportunity to support people in my local community, build relationships with clients, and make a positive difference in their everyday lives. I have also valued the opportunity to learn about running a business and connecting with other franchise owners. Tanisha, Extra Help Sandwell
The Extra Help Awards 2026
In the evening, we enjoyed a fantastic dinner and celebrated both our 16th birthday and our franchisees’ achievements. Our awards reflect our values as a home-help franchise network: strength, longevity, passion, ambition, compassion, commitment and growth. Each winner was chosen using real results from the past 12 months. Huge congratulations to our winners and everyone on the shortlists!
Here are our winners:
- Strength Award: Katy, Extra Help North Somerset
Katy made the brave business decision and has gone from strength to strength since. In 12 months, her franchise has grown 266% in clients and from a team of 5 to a team of 18. Her monthly hours have jumped up 386%.
I love being an Extra Help franchisee for the freedom, satisfaction and community.
- Longevity Award: Lulu, Extra Help Plymouth
After 11 years with Extra Help, Lulu shows no sign of slowing down. She has grown her business by an incredible 207% in the last year. Our runners up also with the franchise for 10 years now, Cath & Carol, Extra Help Wirral
- Passion Award: Caroline & Peter, Extra Help Huntingdonshire
This couple’s impressive level of enthusiasm for Extra Help, and the difference it makes in their local community, shines through in everything they do. They’ve also grown their hours significantly in the last 12 months. A close runner up was Rachel, Extra Help St Albans and Hemel Hempstead
Favourite part of being a franchisee – being part of a ‘family’ and having the support of the franchisor and other franchisees.
- Ambition Award: Zoe, Extra Help Beverley
In the last 12 months, Zoe has grown her business significantly, with 32 clients and a team of 11, and she’s delivering 323 hours of home-help every month, all within her first year.
My favourite part of being an extra help franchisee is the scope it has given me to challenge myself, continue to grow and develop something that I am in charge off. I love the feeling I get when I help my clients and I am lucky that I have a team of helpers that love their roles too.
- Compassion Award: Sarah, Extra Help South West Devon
Despite a challenging year with her health, Sarah grew her turnover by 60%, home-helper team by 75% and client numbers by 54%. This is proof that real compassion and real business success go hand in hand.
So proud of my team and grateful to my lovely clients, without them I wouldn’t be able to grow this wonderful business, looking forward to providing more support to people who need it soon . The support of our franchise network is invaluable to me too, and the knowledge we share between us helps me to develop my skills.
- Rising Star Award: Jill & Sue, Extra Help Northumberland North
In under eight months, Jill and Sue have built a branch with 22 clients and a team of 7, averaging 5 new clients a month and providing 197 hours of support to their community. They are certainly ones to watch! Close runners up Wayne & Karen, Extra Help Tameside and Glossop
- Commitment Award: Leanne, Extra Help PooleLeanne demonstrates an extraordinary level of commitment to her business and clients. She significantly transformed the business to reach new heights, from £12,000 turnover when purchasing to it now nearing VAT threshold with her annual turnover in just 3 years growth of 600%.
My favourite part of being a franchisee is being part of a bigger business and the support that it gives. I enjoy the work with clients and helping them to live there best lives. I also enjoy working with my lovely helpers.
- Franchisees of the Year: Sam Bee, Extra Help North West Leicestershire, and Sam Kimber Halford, Extra Help North Devon
This year, we couldn’t choose between two outstanding franchisees. Sam Bee runs our largest branch, with 108 clients, her team providing 784 hours of support every month. She has doubled her client base in the last year. Our other winner Sam Kimber Halford grew her client numbers by an astonishing 466%, and her team by 366%. Her monthly hours have risen from 233 to 695 over the last twelve months, an incredible effort.
I couldn’t do what I do without my amazing team!
More than a business opportunity
Behind every one of our Extra Help franchises are real franchisees who have built something they’re proud of, with real clients receiving support that helps them keep on top of daily tasks and stay independent in their own homes. Many of them had never run a business before but have managed to thrive, despite these challenging economic times.
What stood out most at this year’s event was the genuine support franchisees showed each other. They cheered for the winners, shared advice over dinner and swapped numbers for future collaboration and problem-solving. That kind of camaraderie and family-like ethos cannot be manufactured. After 16 years, it’s one of the things our franchisees tell us they value the most.
Could you be part of next year’s conference?
If you’re looking for a rewarding career where you can build a successful business, support your local community and never feel like you’re alone on your franchising journey, we’d love to hear from you! Visit our website to find out more about how you can join the Extra Help family.
