Dominic Brown, 28 from Thornaby has worked in catering establishments since he was still at school and dreamt of running his own catering company.
With over 11 years’ experience of working as a chef, Dominic decided to put his idea to a reality and contact Five Lamps with his business idea.
His idea was to start trading from an over the counter outlet which will then expand with a mobile wood fired pizza oven in a converted horsebox and finally move into outside events catering for weddings and festivals.
Dominic began working with Carol Sanderson, Five Lamps Business Advisor who advised him that he qualified for the Tees Valley Pathways ‘Youth Employment Initiative’ (YEI) scheme which is available to anyone who lives in the Tees Valley aged between 15 and 29 who are not in, education, employment or training.
The scheme can provide support to access up to four training courses on the chosen business idea, support in writing a business plan, support for essential tools and equipment, Personal, Protective Equipment, a business stationery start up pack and also Public Liability Insurance.
Dominic’s hard work and determination over the process has now resulted in him trading as Cloud9, a Deli on 82 Skinner Street, Stockton-On- Tees, TS18 1EG, Tel 01642 810530, www.cloud9eventsuk.com. The deli serves delicious hot and cold food to eat in or take away and Dominic is now working on phase two of his business idea the mobile catering unit.
Dominic said;
“Both Carol and Thelma at Five Lamps helped me achieve my goal of setting up in business and hopefully it will go from strength to strength.”
The Tees Valley Pathways and Routeways Projects support young people aged 15 to 29 years old across the Tees Valley who are unemployed or inactive to progress into education, employment, training and self-employment. The projects are part-funded by the European Social Fund and Youth Employment Initiative as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural & Investment Funds Growth Programme in England.
