01752 905790
info@extra-help.co.uk
Last year, we shared Rachel Brown’s inspiring story of building her Extra Help home-help franchise in St Albans and her plans to expand the service into Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted.
Since then, Rachel has successfully taken on the new territory and continued to grow her business, providing trusted home-help services to the elderly and families who need reliable support at home. Her experience highlights how a home-help franchise can grow steadily through strong community relationships, dedicated, reliable home-helpers and a genuine passion for helping others.
We recently caught up with Rachel to hear how the expansion has gone and what she’s learned while growing Extra Help St Albans, Hemel and Berkhamsted.
Expanding into Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted
Rachel officially expanded her home-help franchise territory to include Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted in May 2025. Her strategy for growth has remained consistent with the approach that helped her build her strong reputation in St Albans.
Word-of-mouth referrals remain one of the most powerful ways a home-help franchise can grow. Families who have experienced reliable home help often recommend the service to friends and neighbours who may also need support.
Rachel’s location has also helped to make the transition smoother. Being based in Hemel, Rachel is able to remain closely involved with both clients and her team of home-helpers across all three areas.
Providing Flexible Home Help
One of the key strengths of the Extra Help business model is the flexibility of the service. Support can be tailored to each individual client, whether that means companionship, help around the home, shopping or general day-to-day support.
Rachel says the variety of client needs remains consistent across the areas she covers. She says she has recently noticed a growing demand for support with decluttering and organising, so has been studying to gain a better understanding of this specialised area of support. This commitment to learning and adapting ensures Rachel’s home-help franchise continues to evolve alongside the changing needs of the community.
Recruiting and Supporting Home-Helpers
As Rachel’s home-help franchise grows, one of the biggest ongoing challenges is recruitment, although she does benefit from the relationship she has built with Reed in Partnership. Finding compassionate and reliable people who genuinely want to support others is essential when delivering high-quality home help services.
Developing her existing team of home-helpers is equally important and Rachel has introduced several training opportunities to ensure the highest standards of support for clients.
“We provide additional dementia training sessions to those home-helpers supporting clients with dementia, alongside being part of Dementia Friends,” she says.
As the team has grown, Rachel has encouraged her experienced home-helpers to mentor new recruits, including shadowing shifts and providing feedback. This approach helps to maintain consistency and quality as her home-help franchise grows.
The Real Impact of Home-Help
For Rachel, the most rewarding part of running a home-help franchise is the difference it makes to clients’ lives.
A recent experience highlights the importance of compassionate home-help for the elderly. One of Rachel’s clients, Fred, has been with Extra Help for over two years. He has dementia, so Rachel’s team provides everyday help to him, including preparing his meals, taking him to appointments, changing his bed, doing laundry and reminding him to carry out all his daily tasks.
“Fred can do all of these things himself, but doesn’t always remember what to do,” explains Rachel. “We play cards games with him, watch tv, do jigsaws, cooking and quizzes etc. We were originally supporting him weekly, until his needs changed and since we started going daily, he has a much better routine, is eating his meals on time and is doing really well, including sleeping better.”
Fred recently celebrated his 80th birthday and invited Rachel and her home-helpers to join his family and friends at his party, highlighting how much he truly values their support.
“It was lovely to meet Fred’s wider family and see him enjoy the party and get up and do the twist!” she says.
Fred is just one of Rachel’s clients who benefit from her services. She also recently celebrated another client’s 99th birthday over lunch, where they were chatting about looking forward to her 100th! There are so many uplifting moments that highlight the positive side of providing home help for the elderly.
Another client has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and lives alone, with her family in another county. At the family’s request, Rachel’s team increased their visits to provide daily support.
She explains, “We take her shopping and provide companionship and domestic home-help, such as changing the bed and doing laundry.”
When this client was admitted to hospital, the team continued supporting her.
“We visited her in hospital, collected her washing and returned it once it was done. We also took her reading books and puzzle books as she was getting bored,” says Rachel.
For families who live far away from their loved ones, knowing there’s a trusted team of home-helpers who they can rely on to provide support offers enormous reassurance.
Building Community Partnerships
The key to running a successful home-help franchise also involves building strong local partnerships. Rachel works closely with organisations including Age UK and frequently collaborates with professionals across the health and care sector.
“I often work with private care support workers, NHS social prescribers and Macmillan nurses, and we all agree help and support packages for clients,” she says.
These connections ensure clients can access the right combination of support services when needed.
Rachel also stays active in local community Facebook groups and attends networking events such as the St Albans Business Summit.
The Future of Rachel’s Home-Help Franchise
Looking ahead, Rachel plans to continue growing her home-help franchise steadily while maintaining the high standards her clients rely on.
“My priority is to continue to grow and provide reliable, kind care and Extra Help to all our clients, while also supporting the growth and development of our home-helpers,” she says.
Rachel believes the demand for home-help for the elderly will continue to increase as more families look for flexible support solutions.
“The services provided by Extra Help are a much-needed part of our modern-day community. The needs are growing, not diminishing,” she says.
For those considering starting a home-help franchise, Rachel believes the flexibility of the business model is a major benefit.
“As an Extra Help franchisee, you can accommodate a variety of clients and tailor your home-helpers to their skill set, or focus on certain aspects such as housekeeping or mother’s help,” she explains.
The support network within the franchise also makes a significant difference.
“You will always have support from Head Office and be part of the Extra Help franchise network, where other franchisees will always try to help based on their experiences and knowledge,” she says.
Why Demand for Home-Help Services is Growing
Stories like Rachel’s highlight exactly why the home-help franchise sector continues to grow across the UK. An Extra Help home-help franchise allows people to build a meaningful business within their community while providing essential support for the elderly, families and busy professionals. With the backing of an established brand, training and ongoing support, Extra Help franchisees can focus on delivering high-quality care while growing a profitable, local business.
Get in touch
If you or a loved one could benefit from reliable and compassionate home-help in St Albans, Hemel Hempstead or Berkhamsted, Rachel and her team of trusted home-helpers are here to help. Contact Extra Help St Albans and Hemel Hempstead to find out more about the personalised support available to you.
Inspired by Rachel’s journey and interested in running your own home-help franchise?
Extra Help provides a rewarding opportunity to build a flexible business while making a real difference in your community. To learn more about starting your own Extra Help home-help franchise, call us on 01752 905790 or visit our website for more details about the franchise opportunity.
