About Us

The Schoolblazer Team
We’re a young company established in 2004. Being small, we have the ability to listen to our customers’ views and make changes quickly. There are no big company politics! Don’t hesitate to contact us with your opinions positive or negative - we’ll listen either way.
 

Robin Horsell
Robin is heading for 50(!) married with 3 children. Before establishing Schoolblazer, Robin was, for 17 years, a Director of Dewhirst Group plc - a major supplier of formalwear to Marks and Spencer.
Robin’s responsibility is the business development strategy

Tim James
Tim is younger than Robin (just), is married and has 2 children. Tim has held many senior retail roles prior to establishing Schoolblazer including; Marketing Director of Homebase and CEO of a major catalogue retailer.
Tim is responsible for the Sourcing and business development strategy.
 

Louise Crofts
Louise is married with 2 small children. Louise has been with Schoolblazer from the start (hence why she’s looking more 40’s than 30’s!) and before that held a variety of senior product development positions at Marks and Spencer suppliers including Peter Black.   Louise is the Managing Director of Schoolblazer, responsible for all aspects of the day to day running of the business, including buying, finance and operations. If Louise says it can’t be done – you can be sure that every avenue has been explored!
Louise is the rock upon which the business is founded.

Amy Smith
Amy is the youngest of our team, but that does not reflect the magnitude of her responsibilities- our website and customer service. Amy spends her day making sure that the website is tip top, and works closely with Claire on customer service. Amy is often asked to model School uniform to ensure we develop the highest standard of garment innovation and fit. In her early twenties, Amy is single and on the look out!

Jane Parrish
Jane joined Schoolblazer in May 2009 from Marks and Spencer where she was a departmental store manager. If you visit one of our fit days, you will meet Jane. In addition to organising fit days, Jane is responsible for the wellbeing of our School relationships. Jane’s partner Tim, often helps out when there is a DIY need in the office, because the other blokes are hopeless! Jane is noisy and in charge of Company socials, but is often the first one home- say no more.
 

Claire Bird
Claire joined Schoolblazer in August 2008. Claire is “in a relationship” and has a toddler son. Claire is responsible for customer service. If your query to our helpline requires investigation, the chances are that you’ll be called with a response from Claire. Claire, like Amy, is also one of our “House models”.

Karen Ribakovs
Karen joined Schoolblazer in February 2007 to support our sourcing and buying operation, which she now manages. She is married with a daughter. Karen held a variety of purchasing and product roles before she took maternity leave, she is loving being back at work with Schoolblazer – we are loving her being here!  Karen is responsible for buying and stock management of our Uniform and formalwear.

Amanda Andrews
Amanda is the newest member of the team. She’s married with two children. Amanda assists Karen in gossiping about the goings on in the Schoolblazer office and in between that helps with the buying and merchandising of our uniform.

Steve Tuck
Steve is the other hen pecked male member of our team. Steve joined in December 2008 from one of our suppliers in Peterborough. Steve is in his 40’s, married with two teenage boys. Specially recruited to improve the standards of male eye candy in the office, Steve is responsible for all of our sportswear purchasing, merchandising and stock control.
 

Julie Catling
Julie is our larger than life buying assistant, working for Steve. She is in her early forties, married to long suffering, husband Steven. A lifelong member of the Morris Minor and Caravan Club (say no more!), Julie is responsible for ensuring we offer great service, often using her feminine charm to procure garments that would be out of reach to other schoolwear retailers.

Lara Fox
Lara is often confused with her Tomb Raider namesake as she battles to save Schoolblazer’s financial fortunes! Lara is married with a toddler son, and joined us following a maternity break from Nokia in July 2008. Lara looks after all financial aspects of our business, marking the team’s cards regularly.

Julie Shields
Julie is married with two teenage children, but looks too young for that! Julie works with Lara and is responsible for paying, not making excuses to, our fantastic suppliers and makes sure the office is organised and runs like a train.

Our office is based in a rural setting in Warmington, near Peterborough. Our Helpline, Ruth, Helen, Jo, Kelly, Kerry, Mel, Sharrell, Lorraine, Gill and Rachel operate from our call centre in Melton Mowbray.

We operate our warehousing, pick, pack and tag operation from our 17,500 square foot brand new warehouse in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, ably managed by Scott, Leanne, Sean, Rachel and Lynne.

Schoolblazer
Convenience sewn-in