13 Dec Daventry District Homes and South Northhants Homes Strive Further
The Strive programme with Daventry District Homes and South Northhants Homes that was held every Wednesday finished last week. The pictures shown below are from the Awards Ceremony that was held on Wednesday 4th December 2013, where all the Strivers presented their business ideas to the ‘Friendly Dragon’s Den’ judges in the hope of impressing them in order to get a loan for starting up their business.
All the Strivers and the judges together
SNH Community Development Manager, Becky Pavey, said: “The course has been fantastic and we have seen some great ideas. It’s been great to see people come in with an idea and watch it grow into something that could really work as a business.
Everyone that has taken part has been able to benefit from the wealth of knowledge and expertise that SNH, DDH and Enterprise CUBE have to offer.”
At the final Strive session, 17 entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to a panel in the style of Dragon’s Den. Following this, grants ranging from £300 to £1000 were handed out.
Pictures above are the judges (L-R) Paul Calland – MD South Northants Homes, Alan Humphreys – Chief Executive Grand Union Housing Group, Hayley Davies – Executive Director DDH and David Leathley – Vice Chairman DDH Board
One participant, Alex Richardson, pitched a business plan for his gardening business. He said: “I’d already thought about setting up my own business. I’d even discussed it with a friend, but this programme just kind of fell into place at the right time. It was fate. I was asked if I wanted to attend it on my 21st birthday, so it was a great present. It’s been fantastic. I didn’t know what I needed to do to set up my own business and they have helped me through it, step by step.”
The Enterprise CUBE is a social enterprise set up to work to help disadvantaged people, particularly the unemployed, to use their skills and passion to start their own businesses or social enterprise ventures.
Ciara McMillan, Community & Partnership Manager at DDH, said: “The Strive programme has been an incredible opportunity for local people to improve their career prospects and develop their aspirations of working for themselves.
“Schemes like Strive are so important because ultimately they help to boost business and jobs in the local area.”