Success for disabled entrepreneurs’ business start-up scheme

A business start-up service run by the Bournemouth-based Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship (SAMEE) Charity has helped 50 local unemployed people with disabilities gain valuable self-employment skills, with 15 successfully setting up their own businesses.

Thanks to a charitable donation made by Talbot Village Trust, the SAMEE Charity, which is dedicated to supporting people with disabilities gain self-employment skills, introduced a 12-month Disabled Entrepreneurs Business Start-up Service (DEBSS) using a £13,000 donation awarded by the grantgiving Trust that supports worthy causes across south-east Dorset.

Clair Lawrence is one individual who has significantly benefited from the project, launching her own aromatherapy oils business, Lavish4Me, in March. Clair suffers with multiple health conditions, including Trigeminal Neuralgia and Fibromyalgia, which prevented her from working as an employee, so she sought support from SAMEE to realise her dream of self-employment.

Business owner Clair said: “Building a business from scratch by yourself can be daunting and lonely, but having The SAMEE Charity by my side from start to finish has been crucial in the success of launching my business.

“When I reflect, I’ve come such a long way and the pride and achievement I feel is incredible. I appreciate the support the SAMEE Charity team were able to give me.”

Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, chairman of Talbot Village Trust, commented: “It’s tremendous to see how many participants have since gone on to set up their own businesses. Our purpose is to support organisations in the community that are making changes for the better, and the SAMEE Charity is certainly achieving this vision. We’re delighted to support the DEBSS project.” www.talbotvillagetrust.org