9 Feb 2026 Business Buddies

Purple Dog a Business Movement spotlight

Founded in 2009, Purple Dog Training is a proud local business delivering first aid and health and safety training with warmth, personality and real world experience at its heart. Run by husband and wife team Helen and Steve Moss, Purple Dog supports individuals, businesses and organisations across Kirklees and the wider M62 corridor, helping people feel confident, capable and prepared whether that’s caring for children, keeping teams safe at work, or responding calmly in a real emergency.

As a member of The Kirkwood Business Movement, Purple Dog is committed to building strong local connections and being part of a supportive business community that genuinely cares about making a difference. Known for its friendly, personal approach and practical, engaging training, the team shares The Kirkwood’s values of compassion, trust and community working alongside like minded organisations to support people, businesses and families across Kirklees.

Purple Dog’s journey began with a moment of spontaneity that perfectly reflects the company’s character. Helen said: “We have been in business since 2009, and it was an off the cuff remark that gave us the name ‘Purple Dog’ which has really worked for us as it is a random name for a first aid and health and safety training company, but it also doesn’t link us to any particular course quite clever we thought.”

From those beginnings, Purple Dog has grown into a trusted training provider supporting a wide and varied client base. She continued: “Purple Dog Training supports a wide range of customers, from individual childminders and nurseries to schools and manufacturing businesses across Kirklees and the wider M62 corridor. With my background in early years and Steve’s experience in fabrication and engineering, the company delivers specialist training including paediatric first aid, first aid at work, and health and safety.”

The business also works in partnership with local authorities and established organisations: “Purple Dog also works in partnership with Kirklees Council, Calderdale and Barnsley local authorities, and supports businesses such as Woodcock and Wilson and UK Greetings.”

For those working with animals, Purple Dog offers specialist canine first aid training: “For those working with dogs, Purple Dog delivers specialist canine first aid training, supporting organisations including Dragonfly and Lead and Compass.”

All training delivered by Purple Dog meets the highest standards: “Full details of the wide range of compliant training courses are available at www.purpledogltd.co.uk, meeting HSE, Ofsted, EYFS, local authority and insurance requirements.”

What truly sets Purple Dog apart, however, is how their training feels to the people in the room. Helen explained: “Purple Dog Training stands out because it blends real world experience with a genuinely personal approach. Courses are delivered by trainers who have worked in first aid situations in early years, engineering, manufacturing and outdoor environments, not just classrooms, so training is practical, relevant and grounded in real life.

“Unlike other providers, Purple Dog takes time to understand each organisation, tailoring training to their actual risks, staff, and working environments. With strong partnerships across Kirklees and beyond, and a reputation for supportive, engaging delivery, Purple Dog doesn’t just tick compliance boxes, it builds confidence, competence and long term relationships that keep people safe at work and in their communities.”

A typical day at Purple Dog is full of warmth, energy and learning: “A good day at Purple Dog is a start of getting that kettle on for the team and also the learners for when they arrive. One where learners leave more confident than when they arrived, classrooms buzzing and laughter being heard from the rooms or the cries of ‘Can you call 999 and go get an AED’.”

“A good day is full of questions, real life scenarios, laughter, and those ‘ohhh, that makes sense’ moments. It’s seeing someone who was nervous at the start, finish the day feeling capable and proud.”

Support doesn’t stop when the training session ends: “It’s when the phone is ringing because someone needs to chat with us about something they are unsure of or what they have just dealt with and need a debrief chat. Then emails ping in from online bookings.”

For Helen, motivation comes from seeing the real impact of the work: “What motivates me to work hard is knowing that what we do genuinely makes a difference. Whether it’s helping someone feel confident to care for a child, supporting a team to stay safe at work, or giving people skills they may one day need in a real emergency. That impact really matters to me.

“With my background in early years and education, I’ve always believed in supporting people, building confidence, and helping others succeed. Seeing learners grow, ask questions, and leave feeling capable and empowered is what drives me. It’s not just about delivering training, it's about helping people and businesses feel safer, more supported, and better prepared in their everyday lives.

Steve shares that sense of purpose too he said: “What motivates me is seeing Purple Dog grow and knowing it genuinely helps people. I am driven by building something solid that supports families, businesses, and the local community.

“I am motivated by doing things properly, getting the details right, meeting compliance, and making sure people leave training confident and capable. He also gets a real sense of pride from seeing learners progress and from building long-term relationships with clients who trust us to look after their people.”

Being part of The Kirkwood Business Movement is a natural fit for Purple Dog: Helen said: “As a member of The Kirkwood Business Movement, I’m really looking forward to continuing to build strong local connections, and being part of a supportive business community. It’s great to be involved with like minded businesses who care about doing things properly, supporting each other, and making a positive impact across Kirklees and for The Kirkwood.

“I’m excited about sharing ideas, learning from other local business owners, and finding ways we can collaborate to support both businesses, The Kirkwood and the wider community. For Purple Dog, it’s about being visible, being helpful, and continuing to grow in a way that stays true to our values, local, personal, and focused on making a real difference.”

Even communication reflects that ethos: “The emoji I mostly use is the smiling face. It is friendly, warm, and approachable. It shows positivity without being over the top. It’s a way of saying ‘I’m being kind’, ‘I mean this nicely’, or ‘no stress’.

“In work messages, it often softens the tone, so things don’t sound blunt or cold. It helps show that you’re being supportive, genuine, and easy to talk to, especially in emails or WhatsApp where tone can be hard to read. And honestly? It suits our ethos, friendly, supportive, not corporate and cold.”

Looking ahead, Purple Dog is embracing new platforms and opportunities: “I am just getting used to the different platforms, as Facebook has always been my go to, so this year aheadI I will be on them all and so will Steve!”

Outside of work, balance comes from family, travel and downtime: “Outside of work, we both value spending time with family including our Grandson Noah who is coming up to 1 years old and switching off from the busy pace of running a business, so doing this and getting away in our motorhome with our 2 dogs is bliss for us.

“To explore Europe further than France and Spain in our motorhome, seeing places and experiences we have only seen on social media at the moment. My perfect weekend is away in the motorhome visiting friends and family including in Louth, and in Bourton on the Water and Worle, and occasionally all 4 of us just sat watching Netflix in Pj’s and snuggled on the settees with the dogs.”

From kettles on and classrooms buzzing to confident learners leaving empowered, Purple Dog Training continues to grow, grounded in community, driven by care, and proudly supporting the people and places it serves with a smile. 

To join our Business Movement please CLICK HERE.