I can't believe we've reached Episode 20 of Up Close and Virtual!

I was absolutely delighted to welcome Gwen Backhouse to the show this week.

Gwen has been a Virtual Assistant now for nine years, with twenty-three years of experience in the business admin/PA industry. Now working with a team of associates, Gwen has won the top awards in the industry, and even made UK VA Awards history when she went from winning the Best Newcomer Award in 2015 and then went on to win Outstanding UK VA Award in 2018 in the space of three years, a still unbeaten record. Gwen is now a judge for the UK VA Awards and has also judged for the West Midlands PA Awards too.

One thing Gwen is passionate about is collaboration within the VA industry and as a result, she co-founded the North East VA Conference with fellow VA Amy Russell, which saw its first event this year and was a great success.  Also, since February 2023, Gwen has taken over the running of the Society of Virtual Assistants to help and support Virtual Assistants across the UK.

When she's not VA-ing, Gwen plays fiddle in a ceilidh band, loves jigsaws, singing (badly) and gardening. She lives in Brampton, Cumbria with her husband, a German Shepherd (Athena) and two guinea pigs (Pete & Manu).

Website: https://www.curlewsecretarial.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtualassistantcumbria/

Facebook: : https://www.facebook.com/curlewsecretarial

SVA Website: https://www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk

North East VA Conference: https://www.nevac.co.uk/

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