Wallington woman launches Just Ask Kath after holiday injury reshapes career

Kath Howard has launched Just Ask Kath in Wallington after a broken arm in July 2025 pushed her to turn years of administration, customer service and practical support experience into a flexible local business. The new service offers admin help, errands, pet care and website updates for businesses and residents across Wallington, Sutton and nearby areas.

Why it matters: - Kath Howard is turning a career setback into a local service business that fills a common gap for small firms and busy households. - Just Ask Kath is designed to provide flexible help without recruitment agency fees, which can make short-term support easier to access. - The business expands options for residents and businesses in Wallington, Sutton, Carshalton and surrounding areas.

What happened: - Kath Howard, a Wallington woman in her 50s, launched Just Ask Kath after a broken arm in July 2025 changed her working life. - Howard was working on Asda’s home shopping team when the injury left her unable to push the heavy tote trolleys the role required, even six months later. - Howard moved back into administration and also took school catering and customer service work, but she wanted a role that used more of her experience. - Just Ask Kath now offers flexible business support and practical everyday assistance to local firms and residents.

The details: - Howard spent six years as an administrator with the National Council for Hypnotherapy. - At the council, Howard handled member enquiries, liaised with board members and helped prepare and run the annual conference. - Howard also worked twice as an administrator and receptionist at The Surrey Institute of Clinical Hypnotherapy. - In those roles, Howard managed appointments, calls, payments and confidential records, supported training courses, prepared documents and answered student enquiries. - Howard also provided weekly marketing and website-update support for a local osteopath. - Her wider work history includes administrative work with Veolia, online shopping and Click & Collect duties at Asda, school catering at West Ashtead Primary Academy and customer services at G4S. - Just Ask Kath offers administrative assistance, document preparation, proofreading and basic WordPress website updates. - Support is available remotely or in person. - The service is aimed at businesses that need occasional help, backlog clearance or temporary cover during busy periods. - Business support is priced at £20 per hour, £120 for a seven-hour working day or £550 for five seven-hour days. - Customers deal directly with Kath, and bookings depend on availability. - Personal assistance and errands cost £15 per hour. - Dog walking and pet care visits are priced individually based on the work involved and location. - Travel and purchase expenses are discussed and agreed before any work proceeds. - Howard is based in Wallington and covers Carshalton, Sutton and nearby areas, with remote business support also available. - More information is available at the company’s website.

Between the lines: - Howard’s launch reflects a common small-business pattern: experienced workers packaging practical skills into a more flexible independent service. - The mix of admin, errands and pet care suggests Just Ask Kath is targeting both business clients and private customers in the same local market. - The pricing structure points to a service built for short tasks and repeat support rather than large contracts.

What's next: - Howard will likely build the new business through local word of mouth and availability-based bookings. - Remote support could broaden the customer base beyond immediate travel distance. - The company’s next stage depends on how much demand Wallington-area businesses and residents generate for flexible help.

The bottom line: - A holiday injury redirected Kath Howard’s career, and Just Ask Kath is her bid to turn long experience into a practical local business.