FACED with redundancy at 53, Margot Craven was dealt another devastating blow.

As well as having heart failure, her 86-year-old mum Barbara, who also suffers with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), was diagnosed with dementia and while Margot never wanted to be out of work, it gave her the opportunity to care for her mum while she recovered.

“I had been in architectural interior design for over 30 years. I’ve been both employed and self-employed,” she said.

Working mainly in the south, Margot moved back to Yorkshire and had been working for her last firm for 10 years before she was made redundant.

“And exactly the same time my mum was diagnosed with heart failure so, in a way, although I didn’t want to be made redundant it was quite upsetting in that respect, but I did have the time to be there for her. She was in hospital for a long time,” explains Margot.

Although she doesn’t live with her mum, Margot is very much involved with her care; spending time with her and making sure her daily needs are met.“If somebody had told me I would end up looking after my mum I would not have believed them but I saw she needed some help and I fell into it, it wasn’t intentional. Life takes a hold and it is what I did.”

It is four years since Margot began caring for her mum but, as her mum recovered, and having the skills and expertise from her career as an architectural, interior and landscape designer, she was eager to make use of her creative flair to help enrich other people’s lives.

“I love to design,” says Margot.

“Architecture and especially interiors are in everybody’s life.”

Margot says she has always enjoyed working in a career most people view as a hobby but redundancy made her feel as though she had been ‘put on the scrapheap’.

With the help of Carers’ Resource, a Shipley-based charity supporting unpaid carers who look after a loved one to find practical, emotional and financial support, Margot has now set up a garden-design service.

Candy Squire Watt, CReate adviser for Carers’ Resource, says: “Margot has really gone from strength to strength.

“She’d lost a lot of confidence in herself and in her own abilities after first being made redundant, and then after suddenly being thrown into the world of being a carer and giving all her energy and focus to her mum.

“As Margot’s mum’s health has improved Margot has been able to give herself more time and this has resulted in her setting up a part-time business and is working for herself.

“It’s a wonderful achievement and she has worked extremely hard to build herself up again.”

Margot has combined her landscaping skills with her interest in gardening, along with her horticultural knowledge to offer a garden design service on a domestic level.

She has carried out several garden redesign projects, improving clients’ outside spaces and included planting as well as plans and advice for the upkeep of the areas.

Says Margot: “Carers’ Resource has been very supportive in many ways.

“In the early days of caring for mum they opened doors which seemed to be firmly shut to me.

“In more recent times Candy at CReate has nurtured my self-belief and she’d encouraged me to explore avenues I had previously thought were closed.”

Margot hopes her story will inspire others to look at turning their pastimes and passion into a profession.

“My work has been my passion through my life and the desire is still there and I think if there is something you are interested in and you want to try and earn a living from it then go and have a look and see ways you can achieve that,” says Margot.

CReate is hosting a Managing Stress workshop to help carers identify the symptoms of stress, and suggest ways of managing them, from 1-3pm on Friday February 19 at Carers’ Resource Office, Unit 15, Park View Court, St Paul’s Road, Shipley.

To book or for details, call 01274 449660, email cswatt@carersresource.org or visit carersresource.org