Nantwich woman launches business under New Enterprise Allowance

A Nantwich woman is among hundreds of unemployed in Cheshire who have been helped to become their own boss.

Janice Wycherley’s start-up business benefited from advice and support of Blue Orchid’s business advisors.

Blue Orchid has helped around 600 unemployed people in Cheshire come off benefits with the help of the Government’s New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme.

Business ideas supported by Blue Orchid have included caterers, creative designers, landscape gardeners and mechanics.

Janice established Achieving Change Together (ACT) – an independent training business, helping health and social care workers in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

She had spent 27 years working for local government in education and training programmes for people working with vulnerable children and adults.

But she took voluntary redundancy and was put in touch with the NEA scheme and Blue Orchid by her local job centre.

And she launched ACT in February last year with help of business advisor Kerry Hall.

Janice said: “It’s great to know Kerry, my business advisor, is just a phone call away.

“She is accessible and extremely helpful if I ever have a problem that needs solving or a question that needs answering.

“The partnership approach the business advisors take is so beneficial and their expertise is second to none.”

The New Enterprise Allowance offers mentoring and financial support to people on Jobseeker’s Allowance, lone parents and people on sickness benefits who want to start up their own business.

Blue Orchid chief executive Heather Hayes said: “Month by month we are seeing over 250 people taking the opportunity to create a job for themselves.

“The New Enterprise Allowance has been so successful, next year we expect a further 2,000 unemployed people across Greater Manchester to access finance and advice to get their business idea of the ground.”