Case Study – Deli’licious

Stocksbridge catering business expands thanks to £1000 award.

Kelly Gardner, owner of Stocksbridge based sandwich shop ‘Deli’cious’(opposite the Co-op late shopper) and a winner of the first SBDF’s, New Entrepreneur competition, is currently expanding her catering business thanks to her winnings.

Kelly, who along with three other new businesses in the area, won a £1000 cash, has invested the money in an outside catering preparation area. The stainless steel units, complete with freezers, fridges and storage areas, will allow Kelly and her staff to prepare both hot and cold and buffets in the strictest of hygienic conditions.

As Kelly says ‘the money has been such a great help in enabling us to purchase equipment we would be unable to afford at the start of our business. The new food preparation equipment will allow us to offer an outside catering service to local businesses and organisations, offering the same high quality and wide variety of hot and cold food we currently provide through the shop. We can provide an excellent choice of buffets from the plain and simple to the more adventurous.’

In addition to receiving a cash grant for her new business, Kelly is also receiving on going business support from the Forum’s own team of professional advisers. In most cases, these are people who are currently running their own business in the area, and therefore able to offer real practical support to fellow businesses.

As Kelly confirms ‘the help I’ve received from the Forum has been incredibly valuable and useful. I can call on people who are experiencing the same sort of problems as me and they are able to offer real ‘sleeves rolled up’ advice rather than simply loading me up with piles of paper and information.’