Ten Young West Cumbrians Receive Support to Start Businesses Through Positive Enterprise Initiative
Ten young entrepreneurs from West Cumbria are on their way to fulfilling their dreams of starting their own businesses thanks to the Positive Enterprise initiative launched by Cumbria Community Foundation and the Centre for Leadership Performance. The program aims to provide budding entrepreneurs with a £1,000 grant and support to turn their business ideas into reality.
The initiative, which began last year, has already supported seven young people in establishing their businesses. This year, another ten participants have been selected for the program, which was launched on Thursday, 25th January 2024 in Whitehaven.
David Beeby, Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation, highlighted the need for such an initiative in West Cumbria, saying, “We set up Positive Enterprise because West Cumbria is under-represented, compared with other parts of the country, in terms of numbers of young entrepreneurs. We’ve got a very good crop this year, with a diverse range of businesses, and it will be exciting to see how they develop.”
Rhianna Smith, Early Careers Project Lead at the Centre for Leadership and Performance, also expressed her enthusiasm for the program, saying, “For the young people, it’s all about their development. Last year it was amazing to see the participants thrive, come out of their shells, build confidence, and find something they loved doing.”
Positive Enterprise is open to anyone aged between 14 and 25 living in the former districts of Allerdale and Copeland. In addition to the grant, participants will receive six months of support, including workshops, expert advice, mentoring, and the opportunity to shadow local entrepreneurs.
The Positive Enterprise initiative is funded by property developer Brian Scowcroft with match funding from Sellafield Ltd under its Transforming West Cumbria program. Tracey West, Senior Social Impact Manager at Sellafield Ltd, expressed the company’s commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs, saying, “We want to encourage and support young entrepreneurs by making it easier for them to access the right advice at the right time, build a peer-led environment where they thrive alongside some financial assistance to get their business idea off the ground. I’m delighted Positive Enterprise is continuing to strengthen the growing network of young entrepreneurs in West Cumbria, by fuelling their ambition, confidence, and commitment and helping them to succeed.”
The ten participants selected for this year’s program are Isabelle Barratt, 17, of Distington; Meyrem Korkmaz, 16, of Maryport; Jasmine Riddick, 16, of Workington; Jackson Slack, 16, of Wigton; Haidee Trohear, 16, of Seascale; Alfie Goodwin, 15, Aaron Groggins, 21, Ava Marshall, 15, Chloe Pennington, 15, and Scott Sharpe, 21, all from Whitehaven. Their business ideas include an American-style laundromat, American candy and drinks, bespoke bouquets, pet accessories, beauty products, football coaching, artwork, personal gifts, and custom glassware. Two of the participants are already running their embryonic businesses while holding down full-time jobs.
Aaron Groggins, an electrical design engineer at Sellafield, will use his expertise to help businesses with online marketing, social media, and web content. He explained, “Small businesses often can’t afford to employ someone to do this for them. My model is to help them grow a presence, develop social media channels, and then leave them confident to continue the journey themselves.”
Scott Sharpe, an apprentice at Sellafield, is running a vintage clothing business. He said, “The plan is to buy clothing from wholesalers, charity shops, and car boot sales, then sell through a website and eventually get a shop.”
The launch event, held at The Bus Station and attended by the participants and their families, featured a talk from Millom entrepreneur Jenny Brumby, who has been running businesses since she was 14 and is now a mentor for Positive Enterprise. She shared valuable advice with the participants, saying, “Keep it simple, do your market research, consider making your business a social enterprise to give something back, don’t fear failure, collaborate and work with each other. Most importantly, enjoy the journey.”
Amber Shankland, who gave up her job as a wedding planner during Covid to set up a cake business, Love at First Bite, also spoke at the event. She emphasized the benefits of being your own boss, saying, “There’s a sense of freedom in being able to pick your ideas and work when you want. The good times outweigh the bad. It isn’t easy, you have to give everything to make it work, but you have that control. Try and be as unique as you can. It can be daunting, but just put yourself out there.”
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Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.