CAHM opens shop space at Farsley's Sunny Bank Mills

CAHM, which was founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, has opened the space at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley.

The company is owned and run by Whitby-born and now Horsforth-based Amy Hogarth, and its products are stocked in shops from the Orkney Islands to Cornwall.

CAHM is owned and run by Horforth-based Amy Hogarth, who is supported by her partner, former BBC sports journalist Phil Dawkes. Pictured is Ms Hogarth with William Gaunt of Sunny Bank Mills (Image: Supplied)

The company has also signed a new contract to supply Booths, the upmarket northern supermarket.

Ms Hogarth said: "This is a tremendously important step for us.

"Having started making candles during lockdown in my kitchen, the business grew swiftly.

"After moving to an industrial estate in Shipley, we were then given this fantastic opportunity to open a shop and manufacturing centre in the Mending Rooms at the fabulous Sunny Bank Mills.

"This is the perfect base."

Before CAHM, Ms Hogarth had worked mainly in travel and hospitality roles, which saw her brush shoulders with The Rolling Stones and the Kings of Leon, among others (Image: Supplied)

"CAHM incorporates my initials AH and reinforces our mission to spread a positive mental-health message through beautiful design-led gifts.

"Our sustainable products are hand-made by a small team of dedicated and passionate people, ensuring that the quality and design - for which we have become known - is retained."

Ms Hogarth's career has up until now included a spell at the Savoy Hotel in London (where she looked after, apparently, the likes of the Rolling Stones and the Kings of Leon).

She said: "I got stuck in the lift for half an hour with the Kings of Leon, which was very embarrassing as I am a huge fan, and I had to tell the Rolling Stones that they couldn’t wear their trainers at the Savoy.

"They were charming and didn’t make a fuss."

Ms Hogarth studied human geography at the University of Leeds, and when she was looking for help to launch and develop CAHM, she turned to the Help to Grow Management course at the university.

She is among the latest of 250 small and medium-sized enterprises that have been helped on their journey by the Government-funded course at the university over the past two-and-a-half years.

She continued: "I am also tremendously grateful to William and John Gaunt, the owners of Sunny Bank Mills, for providing such a special home for us.

"There are many like-minded businesses at the Mills, and we are already working together with another occupier, Amity Brew Co, to promote our products."

Ms Hogarth is supported in her business by her partner Phil Dawkes, the former BBC sports journalist.

For further information on CAHM, please visit www.thecahmcollective.com