Success Story for the project

Published Date: 10 August 2009 in the Fleetwood Gazette by Tom Halstead.
BUDDING entrepreneurs are being given a helping hand in Fleetwood.
Experts from the port's chamber of trade and Wyre Council welcomed those with business ideas to the North Euston Hotel where they were given advice on topics including finance and marketing.
Funded by a £5,000 cash injection from the North West Member Development Gateway, the day was a chance for people to gain the confidence to take that initial step. Coun Mike Sanderson, chairman of the chamber of trade, said: "It went very well and there was a good turn-out. "The majority of the people had recently been made redundant and a lot of them were wanting to set up on their own but were frightened about the financial aspects and taking that initial step.
"We will be monitoring them over the first year"and they went away with plenty of information,  they can contact us if there are any problems.
"If you can get someone with something about them to be able to succeed that is very rewarding for us."

Fleetwood artist David Pennington is one of the would-be entrepreneurs who received advice.

Among the plumbers, plasterers and electricians who attended, Mr Pennington, of Fleetwood Road, stood out from the crowd. He specialises in stunning paintings of family pets, usually taken from photographs, and has his own website but was looking for help to take his business a step further. Coun Sanderson added: "His pet portraits are very good but he doesn't really have the marketing skills to get himself put forward so we're looking forward to helping him with that. He is very clued up with what he can do but unfortunately didn't have the skills to do it properly. "It's an exciting and different project."
Another help day will be held on August 26 between 10am and noon, 2pm to 4pm and 5pm to 7pm.