I opened Denby Dale Podiatry in November 2020, right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, I was still working full-time in the NHS as a Podiatrist within the Mid Yorkshire Teaching Hospitals Trust. Like so many others, I was redeployed to help on the frontlines—working at Pinderfields Hospital with the Respiratory Physiotherapists on the Covid ‘Proning Team’. I visited the Covid wards daily, helping wherever I was needed.

It was an incredibly intense time. I was still doing community podiatry, starting a business from scratch, and also juggling life at home with two little girls under the age of four. I won’t pretend it was easy. But out of that chaos came something amazing.

In the first week of opening the clinic, I had just four patients booked in. But I had a vision—one that wasn’t just about podiatry. I wanted to create a business that allowed me to do the job I love and be the kind of mum I wanted to be. I knew I needed a better work-life balance. I wanted to be there every morning and every afternoon to drop off and pick up my girls from school. Denby Dale Podiatry was the key to that dream.

By June 2022, I made the leap and left the NHS for good. I moved into larger premises, built a team of three brilliant podiatrists, and expanded the services we offer to include a broader range of health and wellness care. What started as just me, in a small clinic with four patients, has now grown into a busy, trusted clinic in the heart of the Huddersfield community.

And that community means everything to me—because I’m a Huddersfield girl through and through.

I was born and raised in Huddersfield, went to Holmfirth High School, then Greenhead College, and later studied Podiatry at the University of Huddersfield. I’ve always been incredibly proud of my roots, and it means the world to me that I now get to care for the people and places that shaped who I am.

I’m also a massive Huddersfield Town fan—and have been since I was seven years old. I’ve held a season ticket ever since, and it’s fair to say football is a big part of my life. So when it came to choosing the colours for my business branding, there was never any doubt—blue and white to reflect the team I love. A lot of my patients are Town fans too, and consultations often turn into a chat about the latest match.

My mission is simple: to keep the people of Huddersfield and the surrounding villages mobile and pain free. Whether it’s helping someone enjoy a family walk again, get back into sports, or simply move without discomfort, every day I feel privileged to do the work I do.

As a local business owner, I’m also proud to support local schools and grassroots sports clubs. I regularly contribute to matchday sponsorships, fundraising raffles, and prize donations. Giving back is incredibly important to me—Huddersfield has given me so much, and I’m passionate about playing my part in strengthening the community for the next generation.

I won’t lie—there was a time, after my second daughter was born, when I nearly gave up podiatry altogether. I couldn’t see how I could possibly make it work. But setting out a clear goal for what I wanted from Denby Dale Podiatry changed everything. I built a business around my life and my family—not the other way around.

Now, I get to do a job I love, serve a community I care deeply about, and still be the mum I want to be. I get to walk into a clinic each day that’s filled with heart, pride, and people who trust us to look after them.

So if you ask me what Denby Dale Podiatry is about, I’d say this:

It’s about resilience.

It’s about community.

It’s about Huddersfield pride.

And it’s about putting people first—in every step we take.

Thanks for being part of this journey with me.

— Cheryl

Owner & Director - Podiatrist, Denby Dale Podiatry.