African Voice newspaper was invited to a Round Table meeting with the Prime Minister, David Cameron at 10 Downing Street on Thursday, 12 September to discuss the day’s announcement on ‘enterprise’, and also for an opportunity to speak about key issues affecting Britain’s diverse communities. The Round Table was strictly and exclusively for a small number of editors and news editors of ethnic media.
Prior to the Round Table, an invitation was extended to attend a reception to celebrate new start-up businesses and entrepreneurs. About 70 people from a diverse range of backgrounds, who have recently set up their own business thanks to support from various Government’s schemes, joined the PM at Number 10 for the event.
The Prime Minister made clear his government’s determination to help people who want to strike out on their own, helping small businesses to get on, while creating jobs and a boost to the economy.
Over 30,000 new businesses have been created with support from Government schemes in the last two years alone.
Mr Cameron promised that aspiring entrepreneurs from across Britain will get financial backing from the Government under a £69m package of support that will help create tens of thousands of new businesses.
Speaking to entrepreneurs and new business owners, the Prime Minister said: “I think it’s an exciting time for our economy, it’s an exciting time for our country. It’s always daunting starting a business and setting out but this is a government that wants to help you every step of the way. That’s what Start-Up Loans is about, that’s what the New Enterprise Allowance is about. But the biggest congratulations to those of you who’ve taken this big, sometimes quite frightening decision, to step outside the typical job or to step outside the typical career and say ‘I want to do this by myself, I want to make my dream a reality’ and I have massive respect for that. You’re doing a great thing for yourself; you’re doing an even greater thing for our country. Thank you very much indeed.”
Among the selected entrepreneurs present were Alvin Arscott from Birmingham, owner of Caribbean food producer Tasty Pastry; florist Richard Bothamley from York; Jessica McLean from Newcastle, owner of Baggers Originals, makers of kids’ clothes and outdoor wear; Jennifer Onah from London, owner of Ferona Bespoke Dresses & Bridal wear and Demi Owoseje, owner of Majeurs Chesterfield Ltd, a vintage furniture restorer.
Majeurs is a Chesterfield Furniture company with a difference. Speaking with African Voice, Demi said: “Our ideology has always been that old means history, dated means classic and worn means vintage and that’s reflected in many of the pieces of furniture we have.
“We have a passion for sourcing pieces of furniture that don’t just
compliment a surrounding but are the immediate focal point of that
space. We then carefully restore each piece. This is what makes us
different; we have a wide variety of pieces for you to choose from.
“Some of our previous clients include Jamie Oliver, Jimmy Choo, and we
have been asked by 10 Downing Street to restore some pieces as well.”
