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Land Ahoy!

Experience gained at sea put to good use on land

Simon had worked in catering aboard large ships and had had an interesting career at sea that began after training in London in 1990. He began working on Luxury Cruise Liners, quickly moving up through the ranks to the position of Senior Supervisor and up to Officer, managing his own department onboard in the Food & Beverage department. This role involved managing up to 120 staff working in 20 lounges, catering for up to 2300.

After a fulfilling career Simon began experiencing personal challenges, which resulted in a decline in his health and medical disembarkation in 2009. Following 19 years as a merchant seafarer, the welfare system found it difficult to track his work history and subsequently he lost his home and family. Simon then struggled to relocate to the Forest of Dean and overcome depression.

Joining the Dean Entrepreneurs business start-up programme gave Simon a way to become economically active and to draw upon his successful career in the merchant navy. As a result Simon has completed the course and launched himself as a Health & Safety Trainer. Simon added “This course has given me real hope that I can succeed in making this opportunity a reality. I have already become a registered Trainer with Institute for Environmental Health and after networking with contacts made whilst at the Dean Entrepreneurs graduation ceremony have potential opportunities for local consultancy work.”

The programme is supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas. The project is being delivered through the South West of England Regional Development Agency with Defra as the Managing Authority.

This innovative business start-up course has also given the aspiring entrepreneurs the priceless opportunity to network with other businesses in the area; this approach has assisted the fledgling businesses.

Simon particularly enjoyed the course and commented “Dean Entrepreneurs has been the complete package of learning! Giving me the basic tools needed and the knowledge gained from working with the group of delegates together. The group sessions were particularly beneficial as we were able to discuss all our ideas and then take our individual plans to our one to one mentoring sessions. All of this has given me the confidence and the courage to take the idea and make it a reality, knowing that I have been given the support and the tools I need to succeed.”

The course developed and delivered by Gloucestershire Enterprise is a tailored business start-up programme dedicated to supporting the creation of new businesses across the area. The programme runs for four months, and for a few hours each week, delegates are helped to develop their business ideas from concept to launch.

Following a series of personal difficulties, resulting in insolvency and the break-up of his marriage, Simon feels this opportunity has given me a second chance at a new career and a new future.

“My little dream of an idea now has the real potential to become the start of a new life for me,” explains Simon. “There is definitely scope in the Forest of Dean to start anything if you’re given the correct advice and support as I have throughout the Dean Entrepreneurs programme.”

To find out more about business start up training, please call 0845 838 9963 and speak to one of the Business Support team or alternatively email businesssupport@glosenterprise.co.uk