About Barrow HR
BarrowHR provides affordable and straight talking support, advice and training on all your staff-related matters.
I’m Deb Barrow
Deb Barrow is a fully qualified HR Specialist. She has a wealth of business experience gained from working for private, public and charity sector organisations. She has also run her own successful hotel-restaurant and Equality & Diversity training businesses.
Barrow HR was established to provide the small and medium sized companies of South Wales with the same HR support normally only available to larger companies.
HR includes many things, from hiring to firing and inspiring staff to ensuring legal compliance. It also offers busy business owners the potential to save money and time through outsourcing their HR.
Deb – in her own words
LOOKING FOR HR SUPPORT?
“I had the privilege of working with Deb when we worked together to implement a significant organisational and cultural change which included TUPE, restructuring and redundancies. Deb leads with passion, professionalism and integrity and would be a fantastic addition to any organisation.”
Edd Terrey, Head of Adult and Children’s Services @Worcester Community Trust
Personal Stuff
Putting the “human” into Human Resources – Deb’s journey to starting Barrow HR
Customer Services
Never was this more important than when I owned Tudor Farmhouse Hotel in the Forest of Dean gaining AA’s Restaurant Rosette award and voted Paddy Burt’s Telegraph Hotelier of the Year 1996.
Continuous Professional Development
With two small children, I returned to education to study and qualify as an HR professional gaining a Masters CIPD in 2006. This was followed with a teaching qualification which allowed me to write and deliver training for my business ‘Equality Street’.
Recruitment
I helped recruit 240 Police Community Officers for West Mercia Police. I also received a Police Constable’s Performance Award in 2004 for recommendations sent to the Home Office from my paper ‘Dyslexia is a Diversity Issue’ (please note my website font is dyslexia friendly!)
Policy Writing
I never imagined that I would become ‘geeky’ about writing policy, and strategy but my days writing a police force’s Disability Equality Scheme and probation service Single Equality Scheme was a fantastic discipline. It led me to my current mantra of ‘having all your ducks in a row’. I love to write and implement employment policies and bringing them to life in my ‘HR for Managers’ training modules.
Trusteeships
These provided me with a great opportunity to improve my skills, whilst allowing me to contribute as HR lead for three charities that mean a lot to me.
- Asha, Worcester provided support to women who lived chaotic lives resulting from drink, drugs, offending and domestic abuse.
- YMCA, Worcestershire supported homeless young people.
- The NGDT is a national body providing independent advice on egg, sperm and embryo donation.
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
Supporting business students and young entrepreneurs is important to me, so I make special time to provide mentoring and career opportunities for our young people whenever I can. My small part in making a difference has included:
- Swansea University’s School of Management – project provider and mentor for numerous final year students.
- Chwarae Teg – business mentor for women on the Agile2 project.
- Kickstart Scheme – funding, recruiting and providing employability skills support for 16-24 year olds.
- University internships – providing opportunities at Business Butler Ltd and BarrowHR.