SWANSEA: She started with £20 and a mop at 18 — now Rachael Flanagan has been named Wales Director of the Year

Rachael Flanagan was 18 years old, had just failed her Business Studies A-level, and had £20 to her name. She spent it printing flyers, picked up a mop, and started cleaning houses in south Wales.

Twenty years later, she has been named Medium to Large Business Director of the Year at the IoD Wales Director of the Year Awards 2026 — one of the most prestigious business leadership prizes in Wales.

Mrs Buckét, which has its headquarters in Swansea, is now on track to achieve a projected £11.5 million turnover in 2026, employing almost 500 staff and serving 185 commercial clients across Wales and Bristol.

The name itself is a nod to the classic BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances — a wink at Hyacinth Bucket, who always insisted her surname was pronounced “Bouquet.” The business started as a domestic cleaning service before Rachael sold that side in 2018 and pivoted entirely to commercial cleaning, where clients now include the Wales Millennium Centre, Sony UK Technology Centre and GE Wales Aviation.

Rachael is also known for her commitment to paying at least the Real Living Wage and challenging outdated perceptions of the cleaning industry. “There is a mistaken belief that cleaners are poorly educated, poorly paid and forced to work antisocial hours,” she has previously said. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The IoD judges praised her strategic focus, strong governance and people-first culture, highlighting her entrepreneurial leadership and disciplined approach to growth. Mrs Buckét achieved a 30% increase in business performance in 2025, securing 30 new clients including major education sector contracts with Bassaleg High School and the RCT Education Framework.

Last month, Rachael moved into the CEO role while Kate Ablett — herself shortlisted for the IoD Skills Development Award — was promoted to Managing Director, allowing Rachael to focus on the strategic direction of the business.

Speaking after receiving the award, Rachael said: “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award and incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a business. This recognition reflects the hard work, commitment and passion of our entire team, who consistently go above and beyond for our clients every single day.”

The ceremony at ICC Wales in Newport on 8 May also saw Swansea Bay represented by Cherrie Bija, CEO of Faith in Families, who took the Public and Third Sector prize.

Faith in Families is a Swansea Bay charity supporting children and families facing poverty, trauma and crisis through its network of Community Cwtches and the Cwtch Mawr Multibank — Wales’s first multibank, which redistributes surplus goods from businesses to families in need. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey visited the project earlier this year to hear how rising costs are affecting children across the region.

The wider ceremony brought together more than 300 directors, CEOs and senior leaders from across Wales. It was hosted by broadcaster Mariclare Carey-Jones in collaboration with headline sponsor Cardiff Business School, with 38 finalists shortlisted across 10 categories.

The evening also included a Chair’s Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice, presented to Professor Simon Gibson CBE DL for his exceptional contribution to the technology sector, entrepreneurship and public service in Wales. A co-founder and CEO of Ubiquity Software and Chief Executive of Wesley Clover Corporation, he continues to support innovation and startup growth in Wales as Chairman of the Alacrity Foundation.

This year’s chosen charity partner was The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026.

Richard Selby MBE DL, National Chair of IoD Wales, said the awards were an opportunity to recognise exceptional leaders driving change across the Welsh economy. “Every finalist and winner has demonstrated the impact that strong leadership can have, not only within their own organisation, but across communities, industries and the wider Welsh economy,” he said.

He added: “At a time of continued challenge and change, it is inspiring to see so many leaders committed to innovation, inclusion, sustainability and developing future talent.”

SWANSEA: Faith in Families CEO Cherrie Bija named IoD Wales Director of the Year in public and third sector category

Cherrie Bija, the chief executive of Faith in Families, has been named Public and Third Sector Director of the Year at the IoD Wales Director of the Year Awards 2026, sponsored by Buffoon Media.

The award, presented by the Institute of Directors — which has been supporting and developing business leaders since 1903 — recognises exceptional leadership across Wales, celebrating directors making a lasting difference within their organisations and communities.

Under Bija’s leadership, Faith in Families has grown into a trusted, community-rooted charity supporting children and families facing poverty, trauma and crisis across Swansea Bay, through initiatives including its network of Community Cwtches and the Cwtch Mawr Multibank.

Cwtch Mawr, which operates in partnership with Amazon and The Multibank UK, was the first multibank in Wales — redistributing surplus goods from businesses to families through a professional referral model designed to provide support with dignity.

Bija said the recognition belonged not to her but to everyone who makes the charity what it is.

“This award means so much, but it doesn’t belong to me,” she said. “It belongs to every single person who makes Faith in Families what it is — our team, our volunteers, and our partners who show up every day for children and families.”

She added: “Everything we do is for the families we support now, and for those we haven’t met yet. Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported, and this recognition is a reminder of why that work matters so much.”

The award comes after a period of significant growth and recognition for the charity. Earlier this year, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey visited the Cwtch Mawr Multibank to hear from Bija and her team about how rising costs, interest rates and financial pressure are affecting children across Swansea Bay.

Faith in Families also secured nearly £250,000 in Welsh Government funding for its Bonymaen Community Cwtch, and the Swansea Bay Business Club raised more than £40,000 for the charity in recognition of its work across the region.

Beyond her leadership of Faith in Families, Bija has played a wider role in shaping services and funding for children and families through national and regional leadership positions.

Faith in Families said it hoped the award would shine a light on the importance of early support, community connection and trauma-informed approaches in improving outcomes for children and families.

More on Faith in Families

Bank of England boss meets Swansea charity fighting child poverty
Governor Andrew Bailey visited the Cwtch Mawr Multibank to hear how economic decisions affect real families.

Faith in Families secures nearly £250k Welsh Government funding for Bonymaen Community Cwtch
Major grant secures the future of one of the charity’s key community hubs.

Swansea Bay Business Club smashes £40k charity target for Faith in Families
Local business community rallies around the charity with a record-breaking fundraising effort.

Amazon Swansea staff pack 950 school backpacks for local families
Amazon partners with Faith in Families to kit out hundreds of children ahead of the new school year.

Organisations are racing to embed AI into everyday life. But people don’t trust institutions and private enterprise to do this in a way that benefits them, and that’s a problem.

https://www.computing.co.uk/feature/2026/the-age-of-mistrust-ais-biggest-problem?utm_source=mastodon_org&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=Feb_AgeMistrust

#technews #ai #privacy #trust #adalovelaceinstitute #iod #socialmedia

Niemal 17 milionów zł kary za naruszenie #RODO będzie musiała zapłacić McDonald’s Polska Sp. z o.o. Przyczyną było udostępnienie informacji o pracownikach (#DaneOsobowe objęły imiona, nazwiska, numery PESEL lub numery paszportów w przypadku braku numeru PESEL oraz informacje o zatrudnieniu).

Nieprawidłowości w zakresie ochrony danych osobowych miały polegać na: niewłączaniu #IOD w umowy zawierane z podmiotami zewnętrznymi, naruszaniu zasady minimalizacji, nieprzeprowadzaniu analizy ryzyka i rezygnacji z odpowiednich zabezpieczeń technicznych.

Jednocześnie zwrócono uwagę, że za nieprawidłowości odpowiada także w pewnym stopniu 24/7 Communication Sp. z o.o., współpracująca z McDonald’s przy przetwarzaniu danych pracowników. Na spółkę nałożono kary na łączną sumę 183.858 zł.

Więcej informacji na stronie internetowej #UODO: https://uodo.gov.pl/pl/138/3827