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Merryn Wilderspin is Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ for Life’s Alumna of the Quarter for September 2024. Her story shows how being open to opportunities can lead you to a destination you never imagined.

With thoughts of being a vet, the teenage Merryn Wilderspin could never predict that her career would take her from chartered surveying to technology consultancy and ultimately fashion design.

Growing up in rural North Yorkshire, Merryn loved the outdoors and animals. Unfortunately, she didn’t share the same passion for chemistry, so aspirations to be a vet changed to plans to study urban development.

Merryn said: “And so it was that I found myself at Leicester enrolled on a diploma in Urban Estate Management with the Clephan building being my faculty home - and where I first encountered the legendary paternoster lift!

“Although it only seems like yesterday, I’m one of those who represents Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s Leicester Polytechnic era. My time at Leicester, as much as anything else, helped me to overcome the quite debilitating anxiety issues that I arrived with fresh from A-levels.”

Merryn enjoyed the course, and student life, getting actively involved in the student events and entertainment committee.

“By the end of my first year, my anxiety and panic attacks were reducing, and I was starting to really enjoy myself,” she said. “By the time I graduated I’d spent four years in total at Leicester. It was a sad day when I finally had to say goodbye.”

Merryn at the launch of her 'Yorkshire Tartan' collection at York Fashion Week

A course-related career…at first

After completing the Urban Estate Management course, Merryn was well positioned to start a course-related career. She said: "By the time I graduated, my career path was well-mapped and ultimately led to me becoming a chartered surveyor in London. I worked for the Wates Group, setting up new residential development deals within London Docklands and Central London before becoming development director at Balfour Beatty Specialist Homes division.”

During her time at Balfour Beatty, Merryn worked on a project to identify how new technologies and production methods might help improve quality and cost-effectiveness. This sparked a passion for construction-related technology and inspired Merryn to become an industry consultant specialising in internet-based products and services within construction and real-estate.

 “This was a particular standout period in my career and I loved every minute of it,” Merryn said. “It was so rewarding working with people from all over Europe drawn from leading technical universities, telecom companies and software consultancies.

“I found that my knowledge and skills were in great demand by other sectors and ended up spending four years working for an international investment bank in London, where I helped them to navigate the early days of ‘dot.com’. After that, I returned to private consultancy work for a further four years with a range of medical sector clients until I largely gave up work to be carer to my late partner.”

From technology to fashion

After her partner died, Merryn returned to her native North Yorkshire and began an unexpected journey into the world of fashion.

Having always loved photography, Merryn began to combine it with her digital knowledge to create unique designs and patterns. She began producing made-to-order fine art prints and designs for bags and accessories.

Merryn said: "I set up an ecommerce site using Shopify and created several product collections based on images of flowers and trees. I also designed an authentic and unique Scottish tartan which has triggered quite a degree of fashion sector interest. My brand, The View From My Rear, is essentially ‘slow fashion’ and offers high quality products made-to-order in the UK.”

Full circle to Æß²ÊÖ±²¥

Merryn’s new venture has also been responsible for her returning full circle to Æß²ÊÖ±²¥.

“Yet again, I’m loving learning about a completely new sector and working with some great new people,” she said. “Having recently sought fashion-related business support from Æß²ÊÖ±²¥, it in turn has also given me the opportunity of becoming an Alumni Ambassador, a role I will certainly cherish.”

Variety is the spice of life

As a result of her varied career, Merryn has learnt some important lessons: “A willingness to be flexible and adaptable are extremely valuable personal traits and can open up all sorts of new possibilities, as well as the desire to never stop learning.

“They say that variety is the spice of life – and if that’s true then my life has certainly proved to be extremely spicy! Please pass the water!”