Friends' lockdown cleaning business nominated for awards

Jess Edmunds and Lauren Wright had been working as cleaners prior to the pandemic, but once it hit, they got laid off.

“We came home from work one day and our boss sent us our P45s,” said Ms Edmunds. “We thought what do we do.

“I was worried about where I would go with my life for the next few months, as at that point the world was at a standstill.”

The friends, from Pontypool and Blaenavon, decided they would launch Sparkle Cleaning Services.

“We came up with a logo and decided to give it a go on our own,” Ms Edmunds said. “Within a few weeks we had more than 1,000 followers on Facebook.

“We cleaned for family and friends for our portfolio. Our social media following grew and we started cleaning businesses too.

“We’ve just kept going and going and going. It’s been awesome.”

Sparkle Cleaning Services has been chosen as a finalist in two categories at the Best of Welsh Business Awards. Picture: Sparkle Cleaning Services.

Earlier this month, they found out that they had been nominated for the Best of Welsh Business Awards in the ‘Best Cleaning Services’ and the ‘Best New Business’ categories.

“One day I looked on my emails and we’d been nominated for an award,” said Ms Edmunds. “And then we found out we were up for two awards.

“I rang Lauren and said ‘You need to sit down’. She said ‘What’s the matter?’ and I told her we’d been nominated for the awards.

“We were both overwhelmed.

“Throughout the pandemic my business partner Lauren has moved house and renovated it as well as setting up the business. We’re both single parents and I lost my dad last year. But we just kept going, and I think that is what got us here now.

“We’re just two girls that want to make a go of things and start from scratch and do something.

“We’re trying to better our futures and show our kids that you can get up in the morning and do something with your life.”

The awards ceremony will be held on March 27.

You can find out more at sparklecleaning20.weebly.com