A 75-YEAR-old businesswoman is looking to the future growth of her firm at an age when most people are looking to take it easy.

For Sylvia Hopwood retirement is not an option as she looks to develop The Recycle Works, a company based at Bee Mill, Ribchester, that specialises in environmental and composting products.

The firm was set up around 12-years-ago and specialises in selling a range of products for use in the garden or to anyone with interested in horticulture.

Sylvia said: “I decided it was better to do something and fail rather than do nothing at all. I knew I would live for a long time, well into my 90s I expect, so I thought I would put my energies into a business.”

The firm began designing and selling flat-packed wooden compost bins that were manufactured by the Scottish Prison Service and shipped back down to East Lancashire for Sylvia to sell on.

The product range has expanded from there via the website - www.recycleworks.co.uk - and Sylvia is keen to get schools, children and families hooked on doing their bit for the environment.

A new website - www.gardeningwithchildren.co.uk - is the next venture for the company and Sylvia feels passionately about getting different generations working together to improve their environmental awareness.

“Composting was not something you’d mention at a dinner party when we set up the business,” Sylvia recalls. “But times have changed and I want children to become involved with environmental work and in doing so have older generations pass on their knowledge to them.”

The websites will look to have sections were schools can open blogs about their environmental work and really embrace the ethos.

It is this drive that saw Sylvia win the Iris category at the Natwest bank Everywoman awards for her use of IT and communications.

And with a three year business plan in place Sylvia has no intention of slowing down just yet.