DTA Conference Dragons’ Den Application Form

Contact Name Steph Mannion

Name of Organisation Beighton Villages Development Trust

Name of Enterprise Idea Lifestyle Community Café

Contact telephone 0114 247 8884 Contact email [email protected]

Brief info about the Organisation submitting the application (no more than 50 words)

BVDT is the trading arm of Beighton Community Partnership, a registered charity and company
Limited by Guarantee. Established in 1996, the roots of BVDT/BCP lie at the heart of the
community. The organisation is led and driven by volunteer community residents who have
successfully delivered the 8 core projects within the Beighton IDP.

Description of the Enterprise Idea (no more than 250 words)

To open a community café where members of the local community can be involved at all
levels, from procurement to enjoyment, engendering both social and economic regeneration.

We aim to improve the overall health and wellbeing of local residents by addressing economic,
health and social issues in an inclusive manner, generating much needed income to reinvest in
this deprived former coalfield village.

The community café will enhance the services already provided at the proposed Lifestyle
Centre by providing the ideal setting for beneficiaries to access reasonably priced healthy food
in a comfortable environment. The community café will be unique in the area as all of the food
and drinks served will be vegetarian or vegan, a niche market not currently exploited in the
area. With the use and promotion of cruelty free and fairly traded produce further enhancing
our extensive, colourful menu we will attract customers from across the region, further
increasing profits for the local community.

As a community facility, the café will invest in its volunteers, providing them with both on the job
training and access to further courses and advice about future self-development and avenues
into paid employment so that they can ultimately use the skills they learn to become
reintegrated into employment, thus promoting personal as well as community regeneration.

As another successful social enterprise delivered by BVDT, all profits from the café will be
reinvested within the community

Send completed forms by 4.00pm on 10th September 2007 to [email protected] or post to:
Neil Berry, DTA, c/o Heeley Development Trust, Ash Tree Yard, 62-74 Thirlwell Road, Sheffield S8 9TS
 DTA Conference Dragons’ Den Application Form

Contact Name Paul A N Battye

Name of Organisation Currently Qui Adoro, will soon be

Name of Enterprise Idea Opening the Box for Everyone

Contact telephone 07779130785 Contact email [email protected]

Brief info about the Organisation submitting the application (no more than 50 words)

Running privately for one year. Soon to become a CIC with 11 community directors.
Main aims: Create incubator space for businesses that think outside the box, inspire people to be
creative, work together to achieve what they couldn't alone and become aware of their impact on the local
economy and environment.

Description of the Enterprise Idea (no more than 250 words)

We currently have about 10 retail incubator spaces, an organic/ fair-trade cafe and an art gallery.
We want to expand to include:
Between 7 and 10 artists' incubator studios for a wide range of creative industries.
A foodhall selling organic, fair-trade and local fresh produce- a permanent 'farmers market' shop, the
nearest one being one day per month and 8 miles away.
2 workshop/ meeting spaces for arts, crafts, music, poetry, languages, DJs, comedy, writing and more.
We already have people lined up to run many of these.
A venue/ exhibition space allowing the above artists, whatever their genre, to showcase their work. The
cafe is already a safe space to meet with regular small events like the games night, philosophy club,
poetry club, reading group, art class, jam sessions and more.
We will provide training for everyone involved, whether a director, volunteer or service user.
All the directors have come from the community, our youngest is 16, our oldest 55. We have a
significant number of members and directors who are disabled too.
We support each other through skill sharing and networking.
Dewsbury and the wider North Kirklees has nothing like this. It will serve nearly 200,000 people offering
more than just pubs and pound shops.
The plan is to inspire local residents to try something different, realise their own potential and break
down cultural barriers.
A key aspect is the collective working structure so people can see what can be achieved together.

Send completed forms by 4.00pm on 17th September 2007 to [email protected] or post to:
Neil Berry, DTA, c/o Heeley Development Trust, Sheaf Bank Works, Sheffield S2 3DA
 DTA Conference Dragons’ Den Application Form

Contact Name Adrian Woods

Name of Organisation Pit Stop 2000 Ltd (by guarantee)

Name of Enterprise Idea FROM DESOLATION TO ECO-RESTORATION

Contact telephone 01422 321333 Contact email [email protected]

Brief info about the Organisation submitting the application (no more than 50 words)

Pit Stop is an innovative community project for vulnerable young people in

Description of the Enterprise Idea (no more than 250 words)

Pit Stop services are constantly requested by local communities. Youth Offending Teams, schools and
youth clubs. It must expand and build its own facilities, including go-kart track, to accommodate the
young people who need to take advantage of its services.

To this end, Pit Stop is investigating a restoration and improvement scheme to deliver a sustainable and
lasting amenity at a local, disused stone quarry which has been derelict and unsightly for some
considerable time. An Outline Planning Statement and Ecological Restoration Plan have already been
drafted.

Although the Project’s core will be a go-karting track, the key focus will be the wider Personal, Social,
Health, Citizenship and skill building development of over 1,000 vulnerable young people per year. The
intention is to take hold of this neglected expanse and turn it into a haven for young people where they
will be introduced to the countryside and take part in accredited activities related to the environment,
horticulture, water sports, craft/woodwork and healthy eating. Pit Stop will act to ensure sustainability is
“built in” to all stages of the project from funding and procurement, to design and eco-construction, to
operation and maintenance.

Pit Stop urgently needs more money to progress its action plan. Legal, surveying and building fees will
have to be paid. This is a massive undertaking which requires substantial funding but the exciting
facilities that communities will be able to draw on will have a huge and lasting impact on young people
from all walks of life. Please help us!

Send completed forms by 4.00pm on 10th September 2007 to [email protected] or post to:
Neil Berry, DTA, c/o Heeley Development Trust, Ash Tree Yard, 62-74 Thirlwell Road, Sheffield S8 9TS
 DTA Conference Dragons’ Den Application Form

Contact Name Keith Wyatt

Name of Organisation Avalon

Name of Enterprise Idea Wagalon

Contact telephone 01423 530053 Contact email [email protected]

Brief info about the Organisation submitting the application (no more than 50 words)

Avalon is a Harrogate-based charity and not-for-profit company providing family living, supported living
and supported holidays for vulnerable adults, especially people with a learning disability. We have
offices throughout the North of England and are looking to set up social Enterprises to provide
employment for our customers.

Description of the Enterprise Idea (no more than 250 words)

Wagalon will be a dog-walking Social Enterprise operating initially in the Skipton and Craven area of
North Yorkshire. If successful it will then be rolled out across our other areas of operation. The aim is
for it to be income-generating by the end of year two.

The service will be unique in that it will provide employment for learning-disabled adults
supported by Avalon. There is a well above average rate of unemployment among this group of people,
and any opportunities are limited to supermarket tasks and charity shop work. Employees will receive a
normal rate of pay, free training and clothing. Two people with a support worker will walk up to 4 dogs at
a time and we expect up to ten people to work in the project on a part-time basis in the first year. Our
in-house training division is writing a course designed around small animal handling and care and this
will be accredited through the Open College Network. Employees will then have a recognised
qualification in animal care. We have researched existing services in the area and there is an identified
need for more. The service will be mobile and fully equipped.

Income generated by the service will be fed back into Avalon which will become a Community
Interest Company with a variety of projects feeding into it. If successful we estimate employment for
around 70 learning-disabled people.

Send completed forms by 4.00pm on 10th September 2007 to [email protected] or post to:
Neil Berry, DTA, c/o Heeley Development Trust, Ash Tree Yard, 62-74 Thirlwell Road, Sheffield S8 9TS