Son's kidney donation to mum just the business as their Telford firm celebrates 25 years

Marie McCreadie launched her business Cleveland Cleaning with her husband Rab in 1997 and has since expanded the workforce to over 100.

Their son Robert set up his own oven and window cleaning business with his dad, Rab, after Robert left the army. The family has since amalgamated the two businesses into Cleveland Cleaning, based on Bridgnorth Road in Madeley, run by co-directors Marie, Rab and Robert.

In 2005 Marie feared she was diabetic but instead was diagnosed with kidney disease which saw her health deteriorate to the point she faced dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Three of Marie’s children Karen Bate, Rob and David McCreadie all underwent tests and all came back as a match to be able to donate a kidney. It was then agreed Rob would go ahead with the donation of a kidney to his mum.

The pair underwent the kidney transplant in October and are now both back to full health.

The business is a true family-run business, with the couple’s two daughter’s Nikki and Karen working in the business as contracts manager and operations manager respectively.

Marie said: “To mark 25 years in business is very special but to also mark a clean bill of health thanks to Robert successfully donating his kidney to me is definitely a reason to have a double celebration.

“I never wanted to go on dialysis but I was very close to it as my kidney function was so low.

“Robert always said he would give me his kidney when he left the Army and he did and it was a great success.

“We both feel fantastic and we were extremely well looked after by both Birmingham Hospital and at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

“To have all three children come back as a match was very fortunate and I will be forever grateful to Robert for going through with the transplant, but I know any of them would have done.

“I am most certainly looking forward to the future and seeing the children continue the business for the next 25 years.”

The success story started in August 1997 when Marie got in her Fiat Panda with a box of cleaning supplies and went to her first client.

They now have hundreds of office, commercial and specialist cleaning contracts across Shropshire and the West Midlands, covering sectors including medical and healthcare, education, leisure, construction and manufacturing.

They also launched MR Cleaning Supplies in 2018 to offer a one-stop shop for other cleaning companies to source cleaning products, and now sell thousands of products every year online and through their in-store trade counter at their premises in Madeley.

Marie added: “If someone had told me in August 1997 as I got into my Fiat Panda that I would have all of my family working around me, with an amazing team of over 100 members, servicing so many amazing clients across Shrewsbury and Telford and selling products across the UK, I would have laughed.

“We pride ourselves on first class service each and every time and it is this reputation which has got us to where we are today.

“Cleaning companies can be notorious for a high level of staff turnover but we retain our staff members for years. They start with us and see the opportunity for promotion, and our working culture is one which they love. Even if our staff members aren’t our family members – they are definitely made to feel like family here at Cleveland Cleaning.

“We would like to thank all of our clients, and of course our staff, for their support over the last 25 years and special thanks to Robert for donating an organ – you can’t really beat that can you?”