Rena Howe, social entrepreneur
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Rena Howe (aged 68) Winner of Woman Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Regional Awards, Durham Castle December 2001. Sponsored by Barclays Bank.
Rena Howe, who left school at 14 to work as a machinist in a local factory, still smiles at the idea of her being the MD of a thriving small business, But that’s just how things have worked out.
Five years ago, Rena, at the age of 63, set up with the help of fellow volunteers a community furniture business providing for the needs of residents in an extremely deprived council estate outside Durham City. In 1996 local unemployment rates peaked at 26%. To escape the clutches of loan sharks, families were desperate to obtain decent furniture at reasonable prices. The Top & Bottom Furniture Group provided the solution.
They collect donated furniture, store and display it in their premises on the estate and then distribute it at nominal cost to those who need it. It hasn’t always been plain sailing and Rena is the first to admit that without the support of her local enterprise agency and SRB she would never have got it off the ground. Top & Bottom now employ two part time workers and plan to employ a third.
Says Rena “I am doing things now that six years ago I would never have imagined I could possibly manage. I think our greatest achievement is creating decent jobs. That’s what I am most proud of. For any other mature workers out there thinking of starting a business - give it a go.”
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