Redundancy can have a devastating effect on a person’s life but it need not be the end of the road. Jaine Blackman spoke to two women who have used it as a springboard to new directions in life

"Being made redundant is demoralising and frightening as bills at home just keep rolling in whether you have a job or not,” said Faith Pritchard.

“However, looking back on it, it can spur you into doing something you’ve always wanted to do.”

What Faith wanted to do – after five years of being head of programmes at the Women’s Institute’s Denman College in Oxfordshire – was something in the arts and crafts line.

“I have always loved handmade things. I find them aesthetically appealing and appreciate the skill and care that has gone into making them,” said Faith, 39, who lives in Abingdon.

“I decided to combine this with my background in education, and run short courses with real craftspeople – an opportunity for people to try their hand at traditional and contemporary crafts with expert tuition.

“I had previously worked for Oxfordshire County Council running the education programme at an immigration centre for six years. In that post I had a great deal of autonomy and the freedom to shape the education offered. We ran art, crafts, music and writing weeks with participants bringing influences from throughout the world. This had given me a taste of what it might be like to work for myself.”

Faith knew that putting a programme of courses together wouldn’t be a problem but starting up a company and finding venues for courses were new challenges.

“Setting up a limited company turned out to be quite easy through the Companies House website, which provides guidance and advice,” she said. “Venues posed more of a problem – they had to be large, welcoming, have great natural light and ideally be in a tranquil setting.”

Then fate took a hand.

“My partner and I were driving through the beautiful village of Ardington near Wantage one weekend and passed the disused Victorian village school. We stopped immediately and leapt out to look around. As we peered in the windows, my idea of running courses in local venues morphed into holding them all in one place and establishing a craft school. This building was perfect, although it did need a huge amount of work.”

After three-and-a-half months of solid work with the help of long-suffering friends and family, the Ardington School of Crafts opened in April 2012 offering 150 short courses with experts in everything from silver jewellery to stone carving and textiles.

During that time, false walls were removed, 15ft-high classrooms scrubbed, walls repointed, the entire school painted, floors sanded and varnished, work benches built and a kitchen, sinks and adult-sized toilets installed.

“Founding and running the school has involved huge work,” said Faith. “There is also a great deal of risk. We have used the little savings we had to fund it.

“However, there is the freedom of working for yourself, and the satisfaction of opening a business and finding that people love what you are offering.”

The past few years have been tough for Stephanie Ouzman.

Her mother died, she was made redundant after working for Oxfordshire County Council for 18 years and was diagnosed with breast cancer.

But, despite all that, last year she started her own business and remains positive about the future.

“I felt despondent about the redundancy. It wasn’t something I chose and it was hard,” said Stephanie, 49, of Barfleur Close, Abingdon.

“But since starting with Avon (the cosmetics and beauty firm) I have been enjoying myself. It’s a new lease of life.

“Running my business gives me the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. It is very sociable.”

She started with Avon in 2012, after meeting a sales leader for the firm, who inspired her to set up her own firm. “At the time I was temping as an administrator having been made redundant from my previous long-term job working for the council.

“My mother had also just died from cancer and I was desperately looking for something to do next,” said Stephanie, who is unmarried and has no children. “Avon sounded like the perfect opportunity given that it raises money for breast cancer research.”

However, two months after starting with the company, she was diagnosed with the disease herself.

She added: “Because I am able to work my own hours, I’ve continued my business throughout my treatment. My business gave me something normal in my life. It got me out in the fresh air meeting new people and helped me forget about my illness.”