Holly Prebble has spoken of her pride of being a female leader in the DIY and decorating industry – and her desire to encourage more women into management roles – as Leyland SDM celebrates International Women’s Day. 

Holly is thriving as manager of Leyland SDM’s newest store in Hammersmith having recently returned to the business after 13 months of maternity leave following the birth of her first child, Poppy. 

Holly, 32, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be back at work. Though I loved my time at home with Poppy, I really missed it. 

“Leyland SDM were fantastic in making sure I continued to feel part of the team by keeping in touch throughout. 

“I’m really proud to be a female manager in what some might still consider to be a male-dominated industry.  I want to champion women and encourage them to progress with their careers at Leyland SDM. 

“Having a diverse workforce and a range of opinions definitely helps to bring balance to a business. It means new ideas are brought to the table. 

“International Women’s Day is something to be celebrated and gives everyone a chance to acknowledge the women who are contributing so much to business and the world.” 

Holly, who lives in Fulham, started at Leyland SDM in 2020 having previously worked in retail at an electrical wholesaler. 

She made the move to Leyland SDM due to job uncertainty caused by Covid, starting out as supervisor in the Putney store. 

Holly quickly impressed and was put through the company’s management course and went on to head up the store in Chiswick. 

“I love working at Leyland SDM,” said Holly. “My husband is an electrician and both my dad and grandad were bricklayers, so I’ve always been around tradespeople and had an interest in trades. 

“We have a great mix of retail and trade customers and the workforce is so diverse with people from all backgrounds. 

“We are busy all the time and it’s a great place to meet people. It’s a place where you are encouraged to grow and learn all the time.” 

• Leyland SDM’s Hammersmith store is found at 137-139 King Street. The store stocks a comprehensive range of thousands of products across all departments, including paint and decorating essentials, building materials, electrical fittings, tools, plumbing equipment, ironmongery and much more, all under one roof. Visit leylandsdm.co.uk/ for more info.