Waterlooville baker's Covid-19 battle sees him reassess his life and start his own oven cleaning business

Rob Cunningham, from Waterlooville, set up Ovenu Petersfield after a spell in hospital battling the debilitating effects of coronavirus.

The 52-year-old, who has developed sweet bakery treats for such high street names as Starbucks, Pret a Manger, Waitrose, and Costa, required five days of oxygen therapy last April after his condition worsened.

Rob said: ‘Thankfully, I’ve made a full recovery, but lying in a hospital bed was the impetus I needed to take stock of my life and to think about what is important for myself and my family.

‘I’ve been a baker for 37 years and always had an ambition to be my own boss, but never seemed to have time to take things further.’

Rob took voluntary redundancy and began planning his new career – this time working to restore ovens to pristine condition.

Married to Claire, with a grown-up daughter Charlotte, Rob is originally from Essex. The family moved to Hampshire 18 years ago after he joined Rich Products Ltd, later becoming head of innovation, developing new recipes and products. Previously, he worked as a baker and finished his time there as production area manager for Greggs/Bakers Oven for 19 years.

He is also well known in the area as the drummer in rock and soul covers band, Random Cow – a hobby he remains passionate about.

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‘It’s a little daunting to be launching a business during lockdown but I’m determined to succeed, and I have covid-secure procedures in place to keep myself and my clients safe,’ he added.

Ovenu Petersfield, which covers Petersfield and surrounding areas, including the Meon Valley, Liss, Waterlooville, Denmead and Clanfield, is accepting bookings, with the strict stipulation that both parties observe the two-metre social distancing rule, along with guidelines on hygiene and cleanliness.

Rik Hellewell, founder of the Ovenu franchise, said: ‘Rob has a great attention to detail, together with fantastic people skills and certainly knows his way around an oven! Despite these challenging times, he has the necessary drive and determination to create a real recipe for success.’

For a free quote call Rob on 01730 622344, email [email protected] or visit ovenu.co.uk/oven_cleaning/petersfield/#

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