A WOKINGHAM woman has danced her way to a national award for the best-run franchise.
Andrea Bickford, owner of diddi dance Reading & Wokingham, was presented with the ‘diddi deliverer’ Award at the company’s annual conference in London.
She beat more than 40 other franchisees from around the country to lift the award for the ‘best at running a franchise for 2019’.
Andrea, who runs classes in Wokingham as well as Woodley, Earley and Woosehill said she was “thrilled” at clinching the accolade.
“I’m really proud of the continued growth of diddi dance since its launch in the area five years ago,” she explained.
“I’ve put in a lot of hard work over the last few years and have built up a fantastic little team of teachers who now lead the majority of my classes.
“This has allowed me to focus more on the growth and development of the business.
“Winning this award really was the icing on the cake to round off a super weekend and it reassures me that all those evenings stuck at my desk, once the children are in bed, are beginning to pay off!
“The class is a delight to teach and it’s a real honour to see the little ones grow in confidence and ability as they progress each week from shy toddler, often a little reluctant to leave mum’s arms, to assured young child ready to begin school.
“I realise that I’m extremely lucky to be doing a job that I truly love and am so passionate about.”
A sports science graduate, with a Masters in Business Administration (Sports Management), Andrea enjoyed a 15-year career in the health and fitness industry before becoming a full-time mum after the birth of her second child.
It was after taking her children to a selection of local pre-school classes that she realised there was a gap in the market for a high quality dance class dedicated to the developmental needs of toddlers.
Anne-Marie Martin, Founder of the funky pre-school dance class company, added: “This award is to recognize the franchisee who is running their business at the highest standards, as well as implementing their own use of ideas and creativity along brand guidelines.
“Andrea’s figures and attention to detail are brilliant. All I can say is well done.”
More 40 diddi dance franchisees from around the country attended the conference to hear a series of business and motivational speakers and to exchange ideas, information and inspiration with their fellow diddi dance owners.
Today there are 14 weekly community classes running right across Reading and Wokingham, including an intergenerational session at a local care home.
