Made In Ely - an Ely Work Collective podcast

In this candid episode, Ely Work Collective founders Cathrine and James put themselves in the hot seat to share the story of how their coworking space came to be. They discuss the moment the idea clicked, the planning and setbacks that taught them to be patient, and the community-driven decisions that shaped the space. They reflect on proud milestones — including their busy summer party and succes...

Jake from Jake's Kitchen talks about his journey from early culinary training to running a home bakery, how COVID pushed him into postal treat boxes, and how trading at markets like Fakenham and Ely turned his side hustle into a full-time business. He explains product development (notably his swirly rolls and happy shortbreads), the balancing act of baking and admin, the supportive market communit...

Live from RBK Riverside Bar & Kitchen, the Made in Ely podcast sits down with head chef Fabio and Matthew Makes Munch to taste and discuss the restaurant’s new autumn menu. Highlights include Asian-style pork belly bites, sticky barbecue wings with a gram-flour dredge, indulgent dirty fries made with a pork-stock velouté, an Asian crunch burger, salads, pizzas, and a range of desserts and sund...

Recorded at Ely Work Collective, this episode features Martin Meredith, owner of the Ely Grazing Company, who describes his journey from professional musician to local café and grazing business owner. He explains how homemade grazing boxes during COVID grew into a small Butter Market shop with a popular outdoor seating area and an adaptable menu. Martin also discusses staffing, community support,...

Seamus Connolly, CEO of Ely Foodbank, describes how the charity serves nine locations across 288 square miles using a referral system, welcoming session-style distributions, and an ‘extras’ table that includes toiletries and pet food. He explains the volunteer-run logistics, partnerships with Citizens Advice and other support agencies, and the impact of rising costs on local need. The episode high...

Clare and Stu, co-owners of the Microbiome Cafe, share how a shared love of coffee and a desire for healthier, tasty snacks turned into a mobile food business. They explain the development of their plant-diverse, accidentally vegan recipes (including raspberry brownies, powerballs and oat-banana pancakes), the practical challenges of starting a food venture, the benefits of local supplier relation...

Naomi Collins shares her musical journey from childhood school plays and musical theatre training in London to touring in Italy and returning to a fulfilling career as a wedding and events singer based around Ely. She discusses early influences, challenges of the London theatre scene, the impact of COVID on her priorities, finding joy in wedding performances, building a local music scene, and bala...

Charlene Donnelly, owner of Dazzling Dogs, shares her journey from working as a childminder through personal loss and lockdown to training as a dog groomer and opening a salon near Saxton Business Park in Littleport. She discusses how her Pomeranian, Roxy, inspired the change and how small signs and timing guided her path. The episode covers the practical side of grooming—focusing on dog health, c...

Mel Norman of Yes You Can Eat This shares her journey from film production to creating allergy-friendly, plant-forward recipes that let whole households eat the same meal. She explains practical tips, flexible recipes, and prep shortcuts to make gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan cooking simple and joyful. The episode covers Mel’s background, how she tests recipes for real families, upcoming local...

In this episode, Jodie Fielder, owner of Behavioural Sleep Solutions in Ely, discusses her journey from special-school teaching to becoming a behavioural sleep specialist. She explains how sleep difficulties affect many autistic children and their families, her assessment-led online approach, practical strategies tailored to each child’s needs, and kind, skill-based alternatives to cry-it-out meth...

In this episode, Alex White of WeThreeClub talks about starting with gig posters and band merchandise design, growing into major projects for acts like Royal Blood and Florence and the Machine, and shifting into branding and marketing for hospitality and local businesses. Alex discusses the DIY music scene, the value of thoughtful branding, concerns about AI and templated design, and current commu...

Chef Matthew — aka Matty Makes Munch — talks about starting his Instagram food pages during COVID, building Ely Foodies with his wife, and promoting local restaurants, markets and food trucks across Ely and nearby towns. The episode covers Matty’s favourite spots in Ely, the rise of Foodie Fridays, the challenges and rewards of being a food creator, thoughts on honest reviews and AI images, and ho...

In this episode Louise, owner of The Beauty Loft, tells the story of growing her business from a home treatment room to a busy salon — and the recent move from Ely to a newly renovated space in Little Downham. She shares how a client-first approach, attention to detail and a close-knit team helped the salon thrive. Louise also discusses recruitment, staying true to core services, the emotional pus...

In this episode, we chat with Luana, an Ely-based photographer who runs two businesses — traditional wedding and corporate photography, and a separate business in intimate portraiture and branding. She shares her path from learning photography with her father, going full-time three years ago, and the challenges of running a creative business. Luana discusses authenticity in branding, setting bound...

In this episode of Made in Ely, Cathrine chats with Jade Raymond, owner and director of PA Answer, about her journey from apprentice to business owner and how her team supports small businesses with call answering, diary and email management, and admin services. They discuss practical tips for entrepreneurs such as trusting your intuition, building the right team, and outsourcing tasks to speciali...

From Empty Rooms to New Beginnings: The Angels Foundation Story In this episode, Caroline Deeprose, founder and CEO of the Angels Foundation UK, shares how a chance encounter led her to build a post-domestic abuse charity that provides furniture and long-term counselling to families starting over. Caroline discusses the emotional and financial challenges survivors face, the gap in post-refuge supp...

Host Cathrine interviews Robyn, founder of Odyssey Games in Ely, about opening a board game shop on the high street, the shop’s community focus, and how games help people connect. Robyn shares her backstory, the shop’s evolution, and how they balance modern and classic games for all ages and abilities. The episode covers practical start‑up lessons, challenges of running a shop in a historic buildi...

In this episode of Made in Ely, Tom Ramsey, Director of Coffee at Silver Oak, tells the story of the business from garage roasting and market stalls to opening The Yard in Ely. He explains speciality coffee grading, ethical sourcing, and how Silver Oak developed its roastery, menu and events. Tom discusses the challenges of growing a business—staffing, budgets and building a community space—plus h...

Helena, owner of Helrica Massage Clinic, shares her journey from personal loss to opening a Littleport clinic that specializes in oncology massage, menopause massage, lymphatic drainage and alternative hair (wig) consultations. Named in memory of her friend Erica, Helena emphasizes a compassionate, flexible, and personal approach—donating £10 from every treatment to Macmillan and creating a calm,...

On this episode of Made in Ely, Anthe from Papas Locas talks about running a mobile food business that started with loaded fries and evolved into authentic Canadian poutine and a second ramen truck, Deruma. She discusses sourcing real cheese curds and the right fries, building the Cambridge Food Truck Collective, pitching at events like the British Street Food Awards, seasonal menus, business chal...

Welcome to Made in Ely where we chat to local business owners about what they're building and how they're doing it. In this episode we speak with Gemma from eMotion Fit about her route from corporate life into personal training and breathwork. We discuss how a simple breathing practice brought quiet to a busy mind and became a tool for emotional release. Gemma explains what to expect in her sessio...

Made in Ely meets Luke and Rob from Studio Nova, a design-led agency bringing websites, advertising and creative solutions to local and national clients. They discuss starting the business, the importance of work experience, embracing new technology, and balancing creativity with commercial needs. Studio Nova share lessons learned about client communication, hiring and nurturing talent, the benefi...

In this week's instalment of Made In Ely, James and Cathrine chat with Clara Campbell-Beavis about Willow Grange Farm, a rural retreat near Ely that combines a farm shop, cafe, glamping and event space. Clara shares her journey from working in luxury hotels in London to returning home and growing a community-focused business. The episode covers weddings launched during COVID, opening a butchery an...

In this episode, Kate of Crafts by Kate shares her journey from marketing and photography to creating a fabric accessories business in Ely. She discusses how sewing helped her mental health during the pandemic, how markets shaped her growth, and why sourcing UK fabrics and safe, practical designs for pets and babies matter to her. Kate also shares market tips for new traders, the importance of pro...

On this episode of Made in Ely, hosts speak with Sarah Smith (2Assist) and Sadie Finch (More Than Admin) about what virtual assistants do, how they started, and how they collaborate to support local and remote clients. They cover typical VA tasks (admin, events, systems, personal errands), common client questions, favourite tools and ways to set boundaries, plus practical tips for anyone starting...