Latest News | 18 November 2020
Helen triumphs at Institute of Directors awards
Helen Wathall MBE, the boss of Wathall’s, has been named as one of the top directors in the region.
Helen won the title of Family Business Director of the Year at the recently held Midlands Institute of Directors annual awards.
She is the fifth generation of her family to run Wathall’s, which is Derby’s longest established independent funeral directors – founded in 1858.
She was appointed managing director following the death of her father Bill Wathall and has recently been joined in the business by her daughters Bec and Charlotte.
Helen was the first female and the youngest ever national president of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors in 2002.
In 2016, she was appointed as the first female non-executive board director of Golden Charter – the UK’s leading provider of funeral plans in the UK.
She is board chair of St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) and was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List last year for services to the business and the community of Derbyshire.
Speaking about her latest accolade, which was announced during a virtual ceremony, Helen said: “This is a huge honour and testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone who works with us today and the innovation embedded by past family members and employees during our long history.
“My two daughters have now joined me in the business and share my passion that we continue to serve our local communities and support people at difficult times in their lives.”
As well as its base in Derby city centre, Wathall’s also has branches in Ashbourne, Alvaston, Borrowash and Burton.
The company is now planning future expansion by opening new branches across Derbyshire.
According to the firm, this will help it better serve more local communities, both in terms of the services which it provides and partnership opportunities to support more organisations who provide a lifeline to people when they desperately need it.
