Take the Plunge, become an entrepreneur and start a new business with our expert help.

Our assistance programme is available for individuals who are unemployed or in work or groups of people who see themselves as budding entrepreneurs.

You do not need to have a business idea to start with because we will help you identify how you can use your skills or pursue your interests and then turn them into a business idea and then a new business venture.Your initial contacts on 01229 820611 are:

Val Robinson Helen Johnston

Val or Helen will brief you on:

• the scope of our Coastal Communities Funded, Taking the Plunge, and other new start-up business programmes, including Ready for Business;
• Organisations we work with such as Jobcentreplus and Barrow and District Disability Association to enable all groups of individuals including individuals leaving the armed services, to be more aware of the benefits of starting a new business;
• eligibility criteria (see Below)
• BEST start up courses;
• the full scope of assistancecovering activity as diverse as marketing through to searching for premises or even exporting
• how we can manage your relationship with us as your newbusiness develops;
• events we run to help new businesses explore best practice and new contract opportunities

Our schemes funded by the Coastal Communities Fund, European Regional Development Fund, Regional Growth Fund and South Lakeland District Council offer discretionary:

• help for able bodied, disabled and all ethnic groups to establish a new business
• information and advice sessions at Jobcentreplus, Barrow and District Disabled Association in Barrow aswell as at Furness Enterprise
• initial discussion and advice on either a business idea or skills sets
• basic business training courses which extend over several weeks
• guidance on developing a business plan covering the first two or three years of your proposed venture
• identification of sources of discretionary finance including export assistance for those firms needing help to enter new overseas markets
• help with finding business premises
• information on emerging market opportunities that your new business could look to serve
• continuous assistance to hone your business planning skills
• coaching and monitoring to help you through early months and years of trading

New Businesses in Furness established with our guidance go on to have a high survival and success rate.They range from

• the four individuals who established Diamould in 1999 a company that a decade later employs well over 100 people and operates in global markets, to
• Structural Science Composites which began to manufacture composite manhole coversin 2006 and now serves clients in 23 countries, and
• many lifestyle and smaller service businesses such as Caroline Lawson's PC Magic and Robin Last's Red Robin Design

We have also helped many enterprising women such as Jackie Baxter set up in business as Abbey Mill Coffee Shop here is her example.

Abbey Mill Coffee Shop

Jackie Baxter opened her coffee shop and outside catering services in February 2009, in the picturesque surroundings of Furness Abbey. Her warm food, cakes and drinks have been a hit with locals and walkers alike, and the rustic cottage setting of the coffee house has proved popular with tourists visiting the area.

HMRC have provided a useful portal of information for anyone interested in starting up their own new business. Further information can be found by accessing the relevant section below.