02/08/2026
Some people teach you a skill. Others change the way you think. Donna Hall has done both for me.
Donna has played a significant part in shaping not only the specialist services we provide at Hobbs Cleaning Services, but also the way I think about the people behind every property and every situation.
Donna trained me in biohazard cleaning, helping me develop the technical knowledge, practical understanding and confidence needed to approach this work safely, professionally and with the right level of care.
Specialist cleaning is never only about products, equipment and procedures.
It often takes place during some of the most difficult moments in people’s lives. It requires sound judgement, compassion, discretion and an understanding of the person and circumstances behind the property.
Donna also delivered an incredibly thorough course on supporting people who hoard.
That training changed the way I think about hoarding support.
It was not about clearing possessions as quickly as possible or making a property look better for other people. It was about understanding the person first.
We explored why hoarding behaviours may develop, how easily trust can be damaged and why meaningful progress is more likely to come through a small-steps approach than through one overwhelming clearance.
It reinforced the importance of listening before acting, working at the person’s pace, respecting their choices and improving safety without taking away their dignity, control or voice.
That training helped me become a Hoarding Support Practitioner, a title that carries real responsibility for me.
The principles I learned now sit at the heart of the support we provide:
People first. Property second.
Small steps. Real progress.
Support, not shame.
Donna’s influence does not stop in the training room.
Being a member of the Platinum Circle, hosted by Donna, brings its own rewards. It is a tight-knit, supportive tribe of people who simply get you.
They understand the pressures, responsibilities and occasional loneliness that can come with running a cleaning business. They celebrate the wins, listen when things are difficult, challenge you when you need it and encourage you to keep moving forward.
The members are inspirational, driven, generous with their knowledge and, if I am honest, all a little bit mad — which is probably why I fit in so well.
The in-person days, when we all come together, are particularly powerful.
There is something different about being in the same room: the conversations between sessions, the honest sharing, the laughter, the encouragement and the genuine feeling that everyone wants everyone else to succeed.
We learn from the formal sessions, but just as much comes from catching up over a cup of tea, talking through problems and sharing the realities of running our businesses.
You leave with a head full of ideas, pages of notes and renewed energy, but most importantly, with the reminder that you are not doing this alone.
Donna has created far more than a training programme or business group. She has created a place where we can be honest, learn from one another, question ourselves, raise our standards and feel understood.
Donna, thank you for everything you do.
Thank you for the knowledge you share, the confidence you build, the challenges you set and the encouragement you give.
But most of all, thank you for simply being there.
You are the glue that holds this wonderful tribe together.
I could not pay tribute to the Platinum Circle without also mentioning the ever-supportive and truly amazing Den. His encouragement and contribution never go unnoticed, and the care that both Donna and Den give to the group means more than they probably realise.
Donna recently challenged us to shine the spotlight on someone else.
It seems only right that, this time, the spotlight should fall on her — while also recognising Den and the wonderful Platinum Circle tribe they have brought together.
A tribe that just gets you.
Good training teaches us what to do. The right people can change the way we think.
