Speakers for Tuesday 30th April 2013 - Jane Taggart and Keith Creelman
02/05/13 18:27
Photo: President Graham Kane greets Jayne Taggart and Keith Creelman (far right), with club members (L to R) John Ludlow and Robert Campbell
Talk by Jane Taggart and Keith Creelman on the ‘Causeway Enterprise Agency’
Club President Graham Kane welcomed club members and guest Tony Feedman, Chairman of Bangor Probus Club, to the meeting. The President then introduced our speakers for the morning Ms Jayne Taggart from the 'Causeway Enterprise Agency' (CEA) and Keith Creelman, who owned a country sports shop in Coleraine.
Jayne started the talk by explaining that the CEA is a not for profit charity that has been running for the last 29 years. It has bases in Coleraine, Kilrea and Ballycastle. The agency provides support services for local businesses and is part of a NI wide network of 30 different enterprise agencies.
The CEA is currently running a project on 'Exploring Enterprise' which is aimed at the long term unemployed, encouraging them to look at developing their own business, or to find ways of getting back into work.
The agency also has a long-term commitment to work with schools on their 'Enterprise and Education' programme. This is involving over 1400 primary school children and over 3000 secondary pupils. Events include staging a yearly exhibition for ideas about careers and training opportunities. There is also an annual 'Roadshow' held at 'Kellys' (a very popular venue for the children!) where groups of children are set various enterprise challenges form local businessmen - 'a 'Causeway Dragons Den' type of event.
Jayne went on to talk about other CEA projects, these included an 'ICT Lab' which is aimed to take advantage of the new superfast broadband cable currently being laid along the north coast, and the 'Small Loans Scheme' which will help business start-ups for people that may not be able to get a bank loan - currently there are 17 local firms benefiting from this scheme.
The CEA has its own 'start-up workspaces', where they can provide on-going support and advice for new enterprises and offer a lease agreement at a subsidised rate. The tenants of these units employ around 150 local people.
Despite all the CEA successes, they have an increasingly steep mountain to climb. A recent UK wide survey of towns trying to recover in the increasingly difficult economy, Coleraine can 406th out of the worst 412 towns. The agency (like all government supported bodies) needs to do more for less resources, and they have a 24% youth unemployment rate to fight too!
Keith Creelman than took the opportunity to tell members how he got help from the CEA when he was made redundant, and wanted to set-up a 'Fishing Tackle' shop. From a one man small turnover shop, he now employs five staff, has a flourishing internet business and supplies country sports goods all over the UK and Ireland (and beyond). [Visit: www.outdoorandcountrysports.co.uk/ by clicking the link.. You can also view the CEA web site by clicking this link: www.causeway-enterprise.co.uk/ . Note these links will open in a new page. Close these pages to return to Coleraine Probus pages].
At the end of the talk there was only time for a very brief question and answer session. Topics covered were: Government support for the agency; interest rates for the load scheme; business plans; the effects of 'catch and release' on fishing; and we also learned that the club's own John White was the founding Chairman of the agency when he was Coleraine Mayor 29 years ago, and that he continued to serve as chair for the CEA for another 16 years.
The vote of thanks was proposed by John Ludlow, who wanted to especially thank Jayne and Keith for their interesting and enlightening talk, which may be a little late for some club members to take personal advantage of what the CEA had to offer, but it was information that would be passed on to a younger generation. On behalf of the members the thanks were passed on by the President and the members showed their appreciation.
Talk by Jane Taggart and Keith Creelman on the ‘Causeway Enterprise Agency’
Club President Graham Kane welcomed club members and guest Tony Feedman, Chairman of Bangor Probus Club, to the meeting. The President then introduced our speakers for the morning Ms Jayne Taggart from the 'Causeway Enterprise Agency' (CEA) and Keith Creelman, who owned a country sports shop in Coleraine.
Jayne started the talk by explaining that the CEA is a not for profit charity that has been running for the last 29 years. It has bases in Coleraine, Kilrea and Ballycastle. The agency provides support services for local businesses and is part of a NI wide network of 30 different enterprise agencies.
The CEA is currently running a project on 'Exploring Enterprise' which is aimed at the long term unemployed, encouraging them to look at developing their own business, or to find ways of getting back into work.
The agency also has a long-term commitment to work with schools on their 'Enterprise and Education' programme. This is involving over 1400 primary school children and over 3000 secondary pupils. Events include staging a yearly exhibition for ideas about careers and training opportunities. There is also an annual 'Roadshow' held at 'Kellys' (a very popular venue for the children!) where groups of children are set various enterprise challenges form local businessmen - 'a 'Causeway Dragons Den' type of event.
Jayne went on to talk about other CEA projects, these included an 'ICT Lab' which is aimed to take advantage of the new superfast broadband cable currently being laid along the north coast, and the 'Small Loans Scheme' which will help business start-ups for people that may not be able to get a bank loan - currently there are 17 local firms benefiting from this scheme.
The CEA has its own 'start-up workspaces', where they can provide on-going support and advice for new enterprises and offer a lease agreement at a subsidised rate. The tenants of these units employ around 150 local people.
Despite all the CEA successes, they have an increasingly steep mountain to climb. A recent UK wide survey of towns trying to recover in the increasingly difficult economy, Coleraine can 406th out of the worst 412 towns. The agency (like all government supported bodies) needs to do more for less resources, and they have a 24% youth unemployment rate to fight too!
Keith Creelman than took the opportunity to tell members how he got help from the CEA when he was made redundant, and wanted to set-up a 'Fishing Tackle' shop. From a one man small turnover shop, he now employs five staff, has a flourishing internet business and supplies country sports goods all over the UK and Ireland (and beyond). [Visit: www.outdoorandcountrysports.co.uk/ by clicking the link.. You can also view the CEA web site by clicking this link: www.causeway-enterprise.co.uk/ . Note these links will open in a new page. Close these pages to return to Coleraine Probus pages].
At the end of the talk there was only time for a very brief question and answer session. Topics covered were: Government support for the agency; interest rates for the load scheme; business plans; the effects of 'catch and release' on fishing; and we also learned that the club's own John White was the founding Chairman of the agency when he was Coleraine Mayor 29 years ago, and that he continued to serve as chair for the CEA for another 16 years.
The vote of thanks was proposed by John Ludlow, who wanted to especially thank Jayne and Keith for their interesting and enlightening talk, which may be a little late for some club members to take personal advantage of what the CEA had to offer, but it was information that would be passed on to a younger generation. On behalf of the members the thanks were passed on by the President and the members showed their appreciation.
(Secretary, Mike Turner)
