What’s your role at Thornbridge?
Marketing Manager
How long have you worked for Thornbridge/ how did you end up here?
I’ve been at Thornbridge since December 2017. I moved to Leeds for university and ended up working for a well-known craft beer bar in Headingley, I fell in love with the beer industry as well as the people in it.
I worked in a number of PR roles after graduating but when I became a mum I gravitated back to the beer industry as (oddly enough!) working in hospitality gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my daughter and I realised I’d missed working with beer.
Fast forward to Summer 2017 and I was looking to relocate to Sheffield, a Marketing role came up for Thornbridge and the rest, as they say, is history.
What do you like about working at Thornbridge?
It might sound like a cliché but people come first at Thornbridge. We have a great team and there is very much a feeling of togetherness. I’ve always found this to be something pretty unique to the beer industry and it’s a big part of what made me gravitate back.
Recently I’ve had a battle with depression and anxiety and have had the best support I could’ve asked for, not only from my managers but also the team around me. People go out of their way to support each other and it makes it a fantastic place to work.
My job role means I get out and about a lot too which is ace, I worked at 14 different beer festivals last year which was a lot of fun.
Favourite Thornbridge beer and Why?
Such a tough one. I have to say Jaipur on cask – it’s got a special place in my heart. When I first started drinking beer there wasn’t quite the selection there is nowadays (that makes me sound about 90 but the beer industry has moved fast!) I stuck to dark beers to begin with as I found they had more depth and flavour. When I first tasted Jaipur it opened up a whole new world of beer for me.
Favourite UK Beer Festival?
Give me a P, give me an E, give me an A give me a K…. as if I’d miss the chance to give Peakender a plug! It really is an awesome festival though, there’s something for everyone from 1 to 100.
We have got an absolutely smashing line up of breweries, entertainment and food this year plus so much more. We can’t wait to reveal the full line up for this year’s festival. Great vibes guaranteed.
I should give London Craft Beer Festival and Liverpool Craft Beer Expo honourable mentions though. They were my two favourite festivals to work last year. The venue for London Craft Beer was amazing and it had an incredible vibe! As for Liverpool, we had such a ball and the crowd were so friendly. Leeds International too as its like coming home for me, there's just too many to choose from!
In the spirit of International Women’s Day who is your Female hero?
It’s a tough call between Anna Whitehouse (Founder of Mother Pukka) or Bryony Gordon. Anna Whitehouse is doing amazing things for parents, opening up discussion around flexible working and striving for a better and more equal working world. Bryony Gordon gave me the confidence to open up about my Mental Health and helped me to recognise it doesn’t define or limit me.
The theme for International Women’s Day this year is ‘Balance for Better’, all about creating a gender balanced world, how will you create a balance for better?
For me it’s about everyone having an equal opportunity to achieve. Raising my daughter means I will always challenge anyone who stereotypes her, I will allow her to grow and work out who she wants to be. Right now sometimes she’s ‘Elsa’, sometimes she’s ‘Batman’, sometimes she’s ‘Mummy’ and all of that is ok! I let her know she can be whoever she wants to be and she will always have my full support.
I’ll also always call out ANYONE who thinks drinking receptacles have genders. I’ve heard the phrase “I don’t want it in a girl’s glass” more times than I care to remember. You’ve been warned.