Baker Lorna Needham took redundancy from Tesco six years ago and "ran as fast as I could". The mother-of-two ploughed her redundancy cash into refurbishing family bakery business Just Delicious in Carlton Square - which celebrates its milestone 15th birthday on Saturday, November 5.
Mrs Needham trained as a chef on leaving school. After marrying her husband Andy Needham, they launched their first shop in Colwick.
Then Lorna became the main breadwinner at Tesco, in New Ollerton, as a night manager, and self-employed Andy, a "house husband for a few years", was scouring businesses for sale to cook up a bakery business again.
READ MORE: Life in the 'perfect' Nottinghamshire town where there is 'no need for a car'
He found well-established Dawsons for sale in Carlton Square and bought the business, paying rent for the premises. Later the couple branched out with a Just Delicious in Carlton Hill.
The latter closed because Andy had to self-isolate when his heart was not working properly and needed intravenous drugs in hospital to treat water retention.
He'd already had two spells in hospital for the treatment - but was unlucky the third time round when he caught Covid in hospital and died at the age of 67 in January 2021. As the Carlton Hill shop, which her husband had been in charge of closed, Mrs Needham threw herself into their Carlton Square business, which continues to thrive and has a loyal customer base.
"We knew if he got Covid it would kill him," says Mrs Needham. "I don't blame the hospital at all. He was tested four times when he was admitted. The guy on one side of him in the ward got Covid, then the other guy on the other side got it. Andy died in hospital from Covid. We were lucky we were able to be with him."
But she carried on - recently scattering her husband's ashes on their favourite beach and in the sea in Moraira, a small coastal town in Spain, where they had planned to retire.
Back at work, and queues at her business are often out of the door. The bakery's popularity gives 56-year-old Mrs Needham, who has two grown-up daughters Alix, 34, and Sophie, 26, great satisfaction, adding "we have a huge amount of loyal customers".
She can turn her hand to just about anything, and even takes special requests and transforms recipes handed to her into edible creations. Originally, looking back, she recalls how she said to her husband: "It's your shop, you're doing it."
"I was working at Tesco as a night manager and I didn't want to give it up. My husband used to scour the 'for sale' adverts for a business. He was a house husband for a few years.
"He wanted something to do. He was always self-employed. After our marriage, we have a shop in Colwick, so we have come full circle. Then I was made redundant from Tesco six years ago and I took it and ran as fast as I could. It was just at the right time."
As anyone running a bakery business will know, the ovens are on early to prepare the cakes for the day, with old school favourites - such as Cornflake tart - prepared from scratch at the store. The bread and cobs at Just Delicious are supplied by local bakery Hunts.
Mrs Needham pays tribute to her staff as she marks the 15-year business anniversary - proud she continues to run a small independent business - and grateful to her many faithful customers.
READ NEXT:
- Owner upset as Nottingham takeaway forced to close over 500 percent energy increase
- Emilia Fox on Murdertown 4: 'Everyone still remembers murder' orchestrated by Colin Gunn
- Family's horror as driver attacked their car with 'screwdriver' as they sat inside
- Concern over flats as residents say they 'don't want people looking into their homes'
- New shop adds Parisian flair and flavour to vibrant Nottingham street
