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WALES YFC NATWEST CYMRU ENTERPRISE SCHEME
The winners of the Wales YFC NatWest Cymru Enterprise Scheme were announced at an award ceremony at the NFU Building during the Winter Fair.
The scheme, run by Wales YFC is sponsored by NatWest Cymru, encourages past or present members of Wales YFC up to the age of 31 to gain confidence to try out business ideas and past entries have included farm diversification projects, beauty businesses, hamper businesses, pet sitting services and even the setting up of very successful shops.
This year’s top prize of £800 was awarded to Sioned Jones from Llandysul. Sioned detailed her newly established “Beauty Barn and Day Spa” which was set up in a converted barn on her parents 300 acre beef farm. Sioned showed the judges that she had the necessary entrepreneurial flair to win this years competition. Sioned explained how she had gained 4 years experience in the industry, training with leading skin care companies in London before building a good reputation working for 4 years in Newcastle Emlyn. By now she is now able to develop her own rural business offering a fantastic Welsh beauty service.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Martin Doyle from NatWest Cymru, said: “Judging this year was as challenging as any other year, however we came to the decision that Sioned Jones had show the greatest entrepreneurial flair establishing her rural beauty business and deserved the first prize".
Bedwyr Rees a member of Capel Iwan YFC in Carmarthenshire earning the second prize of £500 after describing his soon to be established carpentry business where he hopes to focus on the creation of unique and bespoke pieces of furniture and the restoration of old furniture.
Third prize was rewarded to Mairwen Davies who has established a family partnership and now runs the Strand cafe and restaurant in Builth Wells. Mairwen explained to the judges that she has always had a desire to run her own Cafe and did not want to miss the opportunity when the Strand became available.
Mark Williams, past Wales YFC Chairman, also part of the judging panel said, “All of the applicants we interviewed were outstanding. They showed real encouraging signs that even though there are hardships being felt in the rural Wales, that young people are not deterred and are still working hard to set up new and exciting Welsh rural businesses, I wish all the candidates luck with their businesses and hope they go from strength to strength”.
The two runners were Hannah Parr from Ceredigion who entered her bespoke and specialist equestrian clothing company – Top 2 Toe Supreme and Leon Morris who entered a business plan detailing his plans to develop his business as a handyman and general farm worker in the Mid Wales Area.
Daniel Downes, Wales YFC’s Rural Affairs Chairman, said that,
“The Enterprise Scheme is gaining in popularity from year to year and without the valuable support from NatWest these inspiring young people would not have received so much support for developing their fledgling businesses. Who knows we may be seeing the development of an YFC Richard Branson”.
The judges this year were Martin Doyle, NatWest; Emyr Jones, Welsh Assembly Government; Mark Williams from Wales YFC and Delyth Davies from Menter a Busnes. Wales YFC would like to extend a thank you for their support and advice given through this scheme.