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Grandparents buck recession with businesses

6:30am Saturday 27th March 2010 in


A pair of retired grandparents are proving businesses can beat the recession after setting up their own ventures.

Michael Brown, 66, was spurred on to start an organic soap delivery business after running out of his favourite locally-produced brand several months ago.

The former office worker discovered the market trader who had sold him the soap had died, and decided to get in touch with his daughter to carry on her father’s work.

Mr Brown now sells baby soaps, dog shampoos and a host of other products at covered markets in Kenley, New Addington and across south London.

He said: “I’m not making millions but I’m getting around and the soaps are getting around.

“My advice to the kids today is to get off your bums and make a start.

“We are in a recession, this is the best time to open up a business - you can start off small and never give up."

His wife Vanessa has also struck out on her own since retiring a month ago, by using her talent for painting to produce portraits, landscapes and caricatures to order.

She said: “I think it’s important to find your talent and use it.

“There’s not a lot of money out there but most people have got some sort of talent and you can develop it and have fun.”

Mrs Brown said the couple, who live in Arnhem Drive in New Addington, have created a winning team by working together.

She said: “He’s the one who gets out there and talks about it all the time, and I do the advertising and paperwork.

“We work really well as a team.”

Comments(23)

Atmydesk says...
11:38am Sat 27 Mar 10

Good for you!!

Do you have a website?
If not I suggest you get one and conduct business online aswell as you will be able to service a greater number of people in a variety of countries too.
Why limit yourselves to the markets of Addington, Kenley and other across South London, adding a mail based option will greatly increase your customer base and in turn increase sales and revenue

My security words were 'wash-hill'
very apt for an article on soap!!!!

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Brian V Sewering says...
7:46am Thu 1 Apr 10

Wouldnt think they would bother at there age

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caring scoffer says...
9:19am Thu 1 Apr 10

Don't be like that Brian... some grandfathers are decent, honest, types... they don't have abuse hurled at them!! ROFL!!

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bob grimley says...
10:26am Thu 1 Apr 10

..... and vulgar bloggers incapable of expressing themselves without disgusting profanities scoffer .......

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concerned scoffer says...
4:51pm Thu 1 Apr 10

Indeed Bob... perhaps they saw the holiday forum and realised what unc's really like!! rofl!! and eating hospital canteen tucker is a no, no, have you ever seen the preperation department in these places ? still... if one can has to have a cheap portion of 'canteen' grub to satisfy the hunger pangs whilst out and about... it proves how easily they are to please!! now pardon me Bob whilst I check on our booking for our upmarket restaurant... best wishes to Ron - Bob.

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Brian X Sewering says...
11:21am Fri 2 Apr 10

Alright m8s
Need a break after working in croy why we dont just relocate to the coast il never know better area better ppl low rents better clients its all there

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concerned scoffer says...
11:53am Fri 2 Apr 10

Morning Brian thanks for the mail... still rambling on about moving ? you sound a tad jaded Sewer or even dog-tired if you prefer!! rofl!! we've had even more doggered graffiti scrawled on our property - been in touch with the S.N.T. but as it's a Bank Holiday I only managed to get the answering machine - i've mailed our team... and before you ask - yes, exactly the same offensive words that were mentioned by someone previously to my dear wife by telephone... make of that what you will!! i've checked our C.C.T.V. footage but, it appears we have the one 'blind-spot'... i'll be chisseling out even more walls over the Easter break to rectify this nasty problem!! so much for putting up one's feet over the Easter Hoilday eh ? keep you all posted!! Laters.

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Brian X Sewering says...
1:29pm Fri 2 Apr 10

Sorry to hear that scoff sounds like you are been targetted
Bad weather hear m8s always the same get a break and it rains !
Whats with the doggy sayings m8 or are you giving me a hint sunshine har ha har

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concerned scoffer says...
3:33pm Fri 2 Apr 10

Targetted you say pal ? indeed... the Scoffer household is under constant attack!! Lady Scoffer was thinking of having a panic button installed... one good thing though - all our incoming telephone calls are now being monitored - even 'witheld' numbers can be I.D.'d ...just one mistake by this sad, moronic, fool and we'll have the culprit!! rofl!! luckily, the Scoffer's don't scare very easily - years of boxing have seen to that!! now pardon me whilst I take the growler for a walk!! lmao!!

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Shadow 99 says...
5:25pm Fri 2 Apr 10

Hey Scoffer you ever said that Erastus Pigget on the n/shop??? rite gobshite

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concerned scoffer says...
9:14am Sat 3 Apr 10

Morning all... good to see the Christian traditions still taking place in our country - please report any breaking of the Christian calender to the authorities!! and Shadow I cannot follow your garbled ramblings - Erastus you say ? name doesn't ring a bell - and what's this n/shopp ?? never heard of it... now pardon me whilst I check my property. Laters.

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Brian X Sewering says...
12:24pm Sat 3 Apr 10

Alright m8s whos this lester piggot anyroad har ha ha if he comes over hear and starts i will blast him ha ha ha now taking the kids pony riding m8s

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concerned scoffer says...
12:15pm Sun 4 Apr 10

Good morning my flock!! and a happy Easter to you all!! rofl!! i've checked my Mail on Sunday and saw that the 'eagles' drew and so did Watford F.C. could be a tight finish me thinks - fingers crossed that eagles go down therby giving the Scoffer a healthy return oh his double wager that Warnock would walk... and Palace get relegated!! rofl!! and this Erastus character you say... I googled the name and found a nasty bullying type character spewing bile... I get the feeling i've seen this nasty character elsewhere ? Ron ?? please mail me on the usual addy after 2pm today. I'm off to see our dear friend from Thornton Heath. Laters.

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Brian X Sewering says...
2:09pm Sun 4 Apr 10

Happy easter m8s
Let lester pig come on here then and shout the odds about the noodles if he is so sure about it i been over there and he talks 2 himself by the look of things same as the floater both talk sewage har ha ha

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concerned scoffer says...
9:01am Mon 5 Apr 10

Indeed Brian... Ron's been checking out this person it appears 'one' person is pretending to be twenty five othere persons over there!! rofl!! where have we seen that before ? lmao!! the same s.mutty, filthy, comments that we've seen on here on blogs on here previously, are appearing over there!! make of that what you will!! there's even a 'recovering alcoholic' over there who on the one hand gives advice about safe alcoholic consumption - then rambles on about getting smashed!! not quite recoverd!! perhaps they should name it - 'recovering alcoholic!!' lmao!!

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Brian X Sewering says...
9:28am Mon 5 Apr 10

Hello m8 sounds like the floater posts over there then yar ha ha
Not suprising 2 find him on a shopping magazine or whatever they call it and writing raw sewage ha ha

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concerned scoffer says...
12:30pm Mon 5 Apr 10

Indeed Brian - same old same... a staunch 'anti'... decent, honest, type they always seem to have personal 'problems' don't they ? it's either drink problems - or filthy strewn blogs with disgusting sexual in-your-face smutterings... jeez... what with youngsters looking in too!! remember on here how that Streatham school teacher posted how disgusted she was when her young students were appalled at the smutterings on that crazy womans blog ? the one that was eventually closed down by people power ?? rofl!! the filth, the racist, sexist, comments against our friends from Spain ? it's all there in the public domain... no wonder saddo-tom has been leaving 'hints' so Scoffer-the-wise may go over there and post eh ? fraid not!! just another shyster living in yesteryear!! lmao!! trouble is - the far left are like that - leave them to it - posting about nasty dogs and running down the good people of Swanley and Dartford is allowed it seems... but try doing that about Brixton or Peckham where there is as many gold teeth, vicious dogs, and fake designer clothes if not more!! but this shyster hasn't got the balls to blog about those areas!! probably moved away from it but hey, don't tell everyone eh!! now pardon me, my growler needs a walk!! Laters.

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Brian X Sewering says...
8:31am Tue 6 Apr 10

Well said scoff
They should give you a blog mate you talk so much sense and everyeone in our office agrees with you its called honest feelings aint it mates

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concerned scoffer says...
11:23am Tue 6 Apr 10

Indeed Brian... decent, honest, I might add!! as we speak - Gordon Brown is on his to Buck House to ask the dear Queen if it's o.k. for a General election rofl!! and look at the C.G. they refuse to even name all of the candidates standing in Croydon central - just in case someone see's a name they like and then decides to votes for them!! lmao!! truely pathetic from C.G.!!

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Brian X Sewering says...
2:39pm Tue 6 Apr 10

Wont stop me voting noodles m8 and nothing they can do about it we are all noodles in our office its our family now yar ha ha

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concerned scoffer says...
4:34pm Tue 6 Apr 10

Indeed Sewer... poor old smellytom's having a bad day today 'cos they've called an election!! watch the sadsack go into overdrive rubbishing decent, honest, folk!! rofl!! it didn't work before - won't work this time either!! oh dear, come in for some more retraining tom - no one cares what she has to say eh ? all her cocky predictions previously backfired... gimp, gimp, time for a gimp eh ? ROFL!!

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Brian X Sewering says...
8:22am Wed 7 Apr 10

Im fed up of reading about the election m8s
Gordon broon was in morrisons and the ppl had 2 shake his hand or get fired thats bullying m8s and its not fair didnt the floater say they would def fold it never happened yar ha ha ha

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concerned scoffer says...
2:00pm Wed 7 Apr 10

Fed up after one day ? don't answer Brian - tom's pinging the lines!! SOB!!

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