The Dragons comprised of local business owners Tom Lilley of Serious Sites and Mick Potter of Wetworks Plumbing along with enterpriseGY Business Advisors Sally Harding and Michaela Smith.
Those lucky enough to gain funding through the event were:
· Guancheros Sauce Co (www.mojosauce.co.uk). Owners Juan and Julie Bernadas produce Mojo dipping/cooking sauces which are available through local stockiest and their website. They were awarded funding to cover a stand at The Real Food Festival at Earls Court and funding for a new aggressive marketing strategy in order for them to reach a wider market. Julie said 'How wonderful to get an opportunity to be part of something so positive and inspiring for local businesses'.
· Prevent Fire Limited (www.preventfirelimited.co.uk), offers a wide range of fire protection services and products. The Dragons awarded the business money to gain their ISO 9001 accreditation which will enable them to tender for larger contracts. Director Steve Griffin stated that this funding is invaluable to him in moving his business to the next level.
· Anglia Skills Academy Limited (www.asal.org.uk) is a local training company, mainly directed towards the construction and offshore sectors. They have social responsibility at their core, training those in long term unemployment. Funding was agreed to contribute towards PASMA Accreditation meaning the business can offer more in-house training to a wider audience. Director Mervyn Middleton spoke on behalf of the company. Anglia Skills Academy maintain that “training isn’t expensive, it’s priceless”, but sometimes we all need a little help. We have recently been awarded some funding, and thanks to the generosity of enterprise GY we will be applying for recognised accreditation for tower scaffold courses.
· Time 4 Cakes (www.time4cakes.co.uk) produces stunning cupcakes, wedding cakes and cakes for all occasions. Most of their customer enquiries come through their website so based on this the Dragons Den awarded funding to launch a new up to date website.
· Local artist Jane Hall (www.jane-hall.co.uk) produces work based on the British Seaside. The panel decided to award her funding to cover the cost of two exhibitions and a large monitor to make it easier for her to create work from photos she has taken. The artist stated 'With NWES sponsoring my second solo exhibition in the library in September it will be a great promotional and selling opportunity for me'
Judge, Tom Lilley of Serious Sites, was really honoured to be part of the panel ‘having received help through enterpriseGY and my Business Advisor Sally Harding to start my business I felt that this was my chance to give something back’.
Overall just over £14,000 worth of funding was awarded to the winners with some of it coming through local businesses. Blackwell Print (www.blackwellprint .co.uk) donated design, Serious Sites donated web design and consultation and lastly Repro Arts (www.reproarts.co.uk) kindly offered two pop up banners. enterpriseGY would like to thank them all for their generosity. |
