A Cockermouth woman who started her career as a cake decorator has become one of the area's leading figures in helping to support the local economy and reduce unemployment.

Helen Fisher, head of socio-economics at Sellafield, is tasked with ensuring a bright future for West Cumbria. 

But she said her own career choices helped pave the way for her future role at the nuclear firm.

While working in a cake decorating factory in Lancashire, Helen said her lightbulb moment came when she managed to ruin a batch of 250 Christmas cakes.

She said: "I left school with no qualifications apart from a decent maths result. And after my cake decorating days, I knew I had to get my act together and do something more.

"I'm proof that we can get where we want to be in life."

Helen went on to gain some A-levels and a first class masters degree in maths at Teeside Polytechnic, then spent a year in industry working at Sellafield on a placement scheme in 1990.

She set up base in Cockermouth three years later and has lived there since with husband Ken, who also works at the site.

During her time at the company, Helen has worked on a range of projects including plant research, business cases, with the rail team and even led a contract for the Ministry of Defence.

Admitting she likes a challenge, Helen said she moved around a lot and gained a firm knowledge of the organisation over the years.

She said: "Taking up the role of head of socio-economics means I make sure the taxpayer is seeing the benefit of Sellafield's economic impact and its social outcomes.

"It's about reducing unemployment, working with the supply chain and making sure the region and the community is benefiting from investment. I hold Sellafield to account."

Helen, who has a small team working for her, has been leading the West Cumbria Works scheme, which aims to help local people find work at Sellafield and its supply chain companies.

"This is an ongoing project for us and to see 26 applicants only one day after it was launched, is just astounding," Helen added. "It makes everything worthwhile.

"For the last 12 months I have also been developing Sellafield's socio-economic strategy which looks at our targets and outputs, and what the tax payer gets for their money in the area.

"It is something we will publish annually and this document looks at the likes of skills growth and community implications."

Some of the high points of her career have been projects with huge community impact, including the firm's volunteer blood bike donations and running work experience sessions with students from Lillyhall's University Technical College.

Helen's love of the area and its community spirit was strengthened when her home ended up under six feet of water during the 2009 floods.

She said: "It was a defining moment in my life. It's one of the reasons I love this job - I love the community we support, which supported us during that difficult period.

"West Cumbria is a special place and it's my passion and mission to make sure we take advantage of all the opportunities here and due in the next few years.

"How wonderful would it be to see unemployment down to zero in the area?"