Lumphanan teenager Chloe Paterson was five she went out on her first chimney sweeping job with her dad Ian and granddad Kenny.
Despite only observing the pair at work, it would prove to be the start of a love affair with the profession.
When she left secondary school, Chloe, who is now 19, tried out a few different things, but chimney sweeping was what stuck.
Back in 2017, The Press and Journal spoke to Kenny, who was keen that his grandchildren follow in his footsteps.
Now Chloe has completed her training and decided to join the family business, working full-time with K&I Paterson Stoves.
“Once I left school, I went and tried out quite a few different jobs but I ended back here,” Chloe said.
“My favourite part is probably travelling about and seeing lots of different places.
“We can be as far up as Skibo Castle, and as far down as Loch Lomond.
“My brother works for the company too, so does my mum, so it’s a very family-orientated business.”
Lumphanan teen ‘didn’t always’ want to be a chimney sweep
The deciding moment for Chloe came last year, with the family business looking for a driver as their young sweep didn’t have a licence.
The 19-year-old said she’d to take on the role while she decided what she’d like to do next.
Under the sweeps’ supervision, however, she started carrying out some sweeps herself.
From then on, it was clear she was going to join the family business full-time.
Earlier this month, Chloe undertook the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps sweeping course and passed with flying colours.
Chloe joins a number of female chimney sweeps across the world
Chloe’s dad, Ian, said: “I’m pleased she’s wanting to do this.
“Over the world, there’s actually lots of female chimney sweeps.
“We go to a festival in Italy in August and she’s seen from a very young age the number of female chimney sweeps there are.
“it has opened her eyes the fact that it isn’t just a male-orientated industry.”
After injuring himself while working as a builder, Chloe’s granddad Kenny Paterson decided to change direction in 1986 and started to focus on sweeping chimneys and flues.
Family business set to be ‘carried on’ into the future
In 2017, Kenny said: “I am a builder by trade and started up a business 40 years ago with my wife Charlotte.
“But after an injury I decided to focus on sweeping chimneys and have been doing that ever since.
“It’s nice for me to be able to work alongside my son and to see Chloe and her brother taking an interest in it.
“It’s good to think something that I started up will be carried on into the future.
“There are not many people who can say they have done something like that.”
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