Author: FSB Insurance Service
Tags: Customer Stories

We caught up with policyholder of FSB Insurance Service, Melanie Ulyatt, MBE, of One to One Support Services to discuss how she got started with her well-regarded care sector business and how she progressed to getting recognised for her services with an MBE in 2017.

Tell us about the journey you’ve been on with your business

I founded One to One Support Services in 2006 and since then I’ve been on a remarkable journey in business. From an optimistic start-up in Chesterfield – commencing with my background in health & social care services, a strong desire to improve sector conditions locally and the will to influence others along the way – to my position now as an established and successful business woman.

One to One Support Services was founded as a Domiciliary Care services provider in Chesterfield, providing clients with exceptionally high level quality service and dignity in the care they received.

Eventually, growth and success meant that we had to relocate to premises in Hasland, Chesterfield. Identifying a need to provide highly trained staff, with a wide variety of skills, qualifications and experience, I created my own health & social care sector training company – the One to One Training Academy. This was quite a big move but has been well received. 

The One to One Training Academy provides a wide range of funded courses in specialist health & social care areas such as the Level 1 & 2 health & social care qualifications. Other courses are available to those working in the sector such as safeguarding, moving & handling, first aid, health & safety and many more. We provide functional skills training alongside apprentice training and communication courses which are needed to support those with sensory impairments such as British Sign Language and Deafblind. The Training Academy now has contracts with many colleges, regional and national establishments for the delivery of training courses and delivers to those wishing to expand or improve their skills in other subjects.

In 2016, I expanded the business even further with the opening of new premises in Sheffield. Following this in April 2016, the head office moved to a new site in Holmewood, Chesterfield, whilst the original head office site continues to this day to be used as One to One’s exceptional Training Academy.

I’ve really thrown myself into the wider business community too;  I was elected volunteer National Vice Chair of Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in 2018  and have also volunteered in the business community around 40 hours per month supporting different boards, committees and LEP`s.

Awards and Accolades

One to One Support Services’ hard work and positive employer ethics have not gone unnoticed. We are proud holders of the illustrious Investors in People Gold Award for employers, an award presented in 2012 and re-inspected in August 2015, retaining the Gold standard which makes One to One Support Services one of only four companies in the Midlands to hold Gold approval.

I’ve been really pleased to see both the business and myself personally win a number of awards, including a remarkable haul of trophies presented at the Derbyshire Times Business Awards 2012, where I was honoured to win Entrepreneur of the Year Award and then in 2013 One to One Support Services won Disability Inclusion Award, Employer of the Year and overall Business of the Year Awards.

2014 brought more acknowledgements with the Sheffield city region awards for business presenting us with the Disability Inclusion Award.

In 2015 I was awarded the Inspirational Business Woman Award for Derby and Derbyshire, following that in 2016 I was also honoured with the Vox Feminarum Inspirational Women Award.

But perhaps my greatest personal achievement was being awarded with an MBE for Services to Business and Entrepreneurship in 2017. That really has been something very special.

You can find out more about One to One Support Services at https://www.onetoonesupportservices.co.uk/