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In October, Extra Help was delighted to welcome franchisees from across the UK at our Annual Conference and Awards, held at the Bristol Hotel. Our conference provides franchisees with the opportunity to learn; celebrate each other’s achievements; share advice and best practices; and strengthen the connections that every franchise needs to thrive.
The event mixed practical workshops, inspirational speakers, and face-to-face networking, reminding everyone that running an Extra Help franchise means being part of a caring family that truly has your best interests at heart.
What happened at the conference?
Franchisees attended various keynote talks from sector specialists; practical workshops; and breakout sessions focused on delivery excellence for home-help services. Roundtable discussions gave them a chance to address challenges such as recruiting reliable home-helpers, attracting new customers and improving retention among clients who use Extra Help’s home-help services. We aimed to balance strategy with hands-on tips and advice, so franchisees left feeling inspired and motivated, armed with immediately actionable ideas.
Speakers and sessions
Claire Robinson and Sarah Sanders (Extra Help Head Office) opened with a reflection on 15 years of building a franchise that helps people remain independent at home. Key sessions featured Berkeley Harris (Sandler Training) on sales, goal-setting and profitable growth; Megan Kent (Birdie) on analytics, standardising notes and rota efficiency; Jen Chapman (Cinder) on resilience and wellbeing; Jo McTighe (TEMPLESPA) on self-care; and a Spotlight on a Franchisee Journey with Alexandra Willingale, owner of Extra Help Milton Keynes.
Networking opportunities
Coffee breaks, lunch, group photos and the evening dinner provided plenty of time for networking, ensuring franchisees left with new contacts and friends they can call upon for practical help.
Awards ceremony and winners
Our awards ceremony recognised franchisees who have gone above and beyond this year, celebrating compassion, ambition, rapid growth, passion and operational excellence. Congratulations to all of our winners, who are living proof of what can be achieved when you combine hard work and resilience with Extra Help’s unique blend of support and training!
- Compassion Award: Luda Kuliabko, Extra Help Plymouth
Recognised for outstanding client care and a stream of positive reviews that highlight Luda’s genuine compassion in delivering home-help services.
- Ambition Award: Alexandra Willingale, Extra Help Milton Keynes
Chosen for exceptional commercial ambition and growth, impressively managing 31 clients within a single postcode. - Rising Star Award: Jinu Gomez, Extra Help Cotswold
Celebrated for rapid early growth, already delivering over 250 regular planned hours per month. - Passion Award: Leanne Cheeseman, Extra Help Poole
Honoured for her relentless dedication, having more than trebled her home-help business’s growth in only two years. - Commitment Award: Rachel Brown, Extra Help St Albans
Recognised for operational excellence: expanded territory, completed the most Birdie training modules, set up client funding and achieved a 95% on-time visit rate. - Franchisee of the Year: Sam Bee, Extra Help North West Leicestershire
Named for being the largest and most successful franchise in hours and clients, combining longevity, compassion and consistent growth.
What franchisees had to say
Feedback from our franchisees was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the conference for its mix of inspiration, practical learning and genuine connection:
“It’s a flexible franchise and is bespoke – and aligned with my background, who I am and where I am… capacity and space for enormous growth and fulfilment. The 2025 conference was all very interesting and beneficial to me and my business. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Purposeful!”
Beverley, Extra Help Hammersmith and Fulham (6 years)
“Today at the conference we got plenty of opportunity for networking, mindfulness, I really enjoyed all aspects. The sessions on goal setting and new technologies were very interesting. I love being an Extra Help franchisee because of the flexible work life balance and job satisfaction. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Compassionate!”
Viveen, Extra Help Birmingham North (18 months)
“I love the conference as I love to meet up with all the other franchisees. Extra Help is a wonderful opportunity as it lets me be independent with my business and useful to people who need help. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be GREAT!”
Julia, Extra Help Exeter (9 years)
“The best thing about being a franchisee with Extra Help is the camaraderie. I also like the opportunity to run the business how I’d like to within acceptable parameters to the franchise and commend the availability of support from franchisors. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Family!”
Xander, Extra Help Barnet (18 months)
“I love Extra Help as I really feel I make a difference with what I do. Today at the conference I thoroughly enjoyed setting goals for my franchise and our speakers who gave some good mental health tips. I think the franchise head office do everything with great heart, I know if I need anything from them they will help. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Fulfilling!”
Katy, Extra Help North Somerset (1 year)
“I love everything about Extra Help! At today’s conference we had fantastic presentations from Berkeley Harris, Jo McTighe, Alexandra, Megan and Jen. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Home!”
Luda, Extra Help Plymouth (9 years)
“The Birdie presentation on analytics will be really useful to help with growth and tracking progress. I love being part of a bigger team, helping people that need it and improving their day to day lives. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Family!”
Caroline, Extra Help Huntingdonshire (2 years)
“Today I really loved the variety of sessions especially the focus on wellness, mental health and Alexandra’s franchise journey. I love the support from Claire and Sarah and the lovely, caring franchisees and support shown for one another. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Caring Family!”
Jinu, Extra Help Cotswold (1 year)
“I loved the conference today; the Birdie talk with Megan was really informative. I love being an Extra Help Franchisee for the people within the franchise and the support we receive. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Rewarding!”
Leanne, Extra Help Poole (7 years)
“My favourite part of the conference was Jen Chapman from Cinder; her presentation on resilience was insightful. I love Extra Help because of the teamwork that goes into it, supporting clients who really appreciate our service. This year’s conference has been amazing. If I were to use one word to sum up Extra Help it would be Brilliant!”
Rachel, Extra Help St Albans and Hemel Hempstead (2 years)
These heartwarming comments prove that Extra Help is so more than a business opportunity. It’s a community built on shared values, mutual support and a deep commitment to helping others.
Why this matters to prospective franchisees
Extra Help’s Annual Conference and Awards show we’re a franchise network that invests in people, training and recognition. You receive practical, face-to-face learning; operational tools like Birdie to streamline your workflow; sales development and wellbeing support; networking opportunities; and visible reward for excellence. We’ll ensure you’ll never feel alone in your franchising journey while building your own rewarding home-help franchise.
Join us at next year’s conference!
Could you be our next franchisee? Visit our website to discover how you could join a supportive, friendly franchise network that will help you grow your own successful home-help business, delivering high-quality, compassionate services to your local community.
