Young Cumbrian entrepreneurs have showcased business ideas at two events this week.
Fifteen young people from Furness and West Cumbria, aged 14 to 25, took part in the Positive Enterprise programme.
The scheme, developed and run by Cumbria Community Foundation and the Centre for Leadership Performance, helps young people go into business.
Participants were given a £1,000 grant at the start of the year to launch or develop their own businesses.
Their ideas ranged from AI virtual assistants and African food, to pet photography, a mobile make-up service, Cumbrian fragrances and a gutter cleaning business.
They all received six months of mentoring from a local businessperson, alongside skills and leadership development.
The celebration events were held at the Carnegie Theatre in Workington and The Bridge in Barrow. The young people gave presentations about their businesses, explaining their ideas and the challenges they faced.
Two participants from each area were chosen by judges to receive a further cash injection.
Maria Ferreira, 21, of Workington, was selected from the West Cumbrian cohort.
She refurbishes and reupholsters furniture through her business, Ferrocious Furniture. She received an additional £1,000, which she plans to spend on running workshops to teach others how to upcycle items.
She said: “I want to show people that you can find pieces in your home that you can give a new lease of life to, rather than just throwing them away.
“Sometimes it feels like there aren’t many career opportunities or creative outlets for people in places like Workington. I want to show people that you can do it if you try. This is something I want to do for the rest of my life as a business.”
She was mentored by Rachel Stewart, who has volunteered her expertise on the programme for three years.
Rachel added: “It has been great. My friend is an upholsterer, and my dad restores furniture too, so Maria has been able to learn from them too. It has been a real team effort. I’m so proud of her.”
The West Cumbrian runner-up was Holly Chamberlain, 20, of Cockermouth. She received an additional £500 towards her business, Un Petit Rêve, which is a sewing and knitting pattern studio.
Travis Drake, 25, of Barrow, was chosen from the Furness cohort to receive an additional £1,000 grant. His business, Buzz Trackers, creates a device to help people find mislaid items such as TV remote controls. He was mentored by James Batchelor.
He said: “The funding from Positive Enterprise really did help but the best thing has been the people I’ve met along the journey. James has been a great mentor throughout, helping me think outside the box and try new ideas.”
The Furness runner-up was Rukky Jokoh, 18, with her Nigerian food business, Rukky’s Naija Hub.
She added: “The programme has helped me turn a passion into a sustainable business, bringing authentic Nigerian food to more people.”
Catherine Eve, executive director of the Centre for Leadership Performance, said: “Positive Enterprise goes from strength to strength. The ideas, energy and creativity of the participants this year was next level and we are confident they all have very bright futures ahead of them.
“The programme has given these young people invaluable help from their mentors, practical workshops and a tailored programme of support, enabling them to develop key employability and entrepreneurial skills such as negotiation, time management, and business knowledge.”
This is the fourth year of the Positive Enterprise programme. It was funded in West Cumbria by Sellafield Ltd, Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd, the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund and a private donor.
The scheme ran for the first time in the Furness area this year, funded by the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund and individual donor Jan Ambler.
Annalee Holliday, head of grants practice and programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “Thank you to all of the mentors who give up their time and the donors who have funded this truly transformational programme, which will no doubt have a lasting effect on the young people involved throughout their careers.”
Stuart McCourt, senior social impact manager at Sellafield Ltd, added: “Whatever the future holds for them, I’m sure the skills that the participants have gained and the network they have built will help them enormously.
“Positive Enterprise is a real team effort between the participants, delivery partners, business mentors and funders and shows what can be achieved when we work together.”
