New Start-Up Gets Off To A Fantastic Festive Start!

Simon Whitter signed up to receive support on the ‘Smarta Business Starter’ programme in June 2016 with the idea of creating a café and employing homeless and socially disengaged people on Merseyside; in order to improve their, health, wellbeing and  lifestyles. 

Through a combination of specific workshops which covered the Start Up process for Social Enterprises, as well as through bespoke one-to-one sessions, the Advisors at Alt Valley Trust have helped Simon with his successful application to register Neva 2 Latte as a Community Interest Company.

Alt Valley Trust is one of the delivery Partners of the Enterprise Hub Business Start Up programme covering the whole Liverpool City Region.

Neva 2 Latte is a CIC launched in October 2016 and since then Simon has been busy working on a project called ‘Yummy’s Scouse Christmas’ which successfully fed 1,000 people on Christmas Day.  People, who may be homeless, socially excluded, marginalised families and the elderly were invited over multi

ple locations in the city on December 25th .

Simon, who spent time on the streets in Manchester as a teenager, added: “We were looking at making it a really special day to remember for those who came along, with food and entertainment provided.”

The 43-year-old, who left care when he was 16 and ended up living rough on the streets of Manchester, said: “I’ve been homeless, I’ve been in care, I’ve been in prison and I’ve been sectioned. I would like to say that the kindness, warmth and generosity shown by the people of Liverpool never ceases to amaze me.”

The event was a massive success and now Simon has turned his attentions to setting up community interest café Neva 2 Latte, which he expects to open in Old Swan in the spring and will be run by homeless people as a stepping stone to get them into work.

John Mathias Business Advisor at Alt Valley Community Trust said “I was immediately impressed with Simon’s can do attitude, self-belief and determination to make the venture a success. He has a caring nature and an empathy to make a difference to disadvantaged individuals and communities. What he is has done so far and his ambitions for Neva 2 latte  are truly inspirational and  it’s fantastic that we could be involved in helping Simon with setting up this Community Interest Company “

If this has been an inspiration to you to set up your own business maybe a social enterprise such as a Community Interest Company then get in touch we can help you realise your ambitions.

The Enterprise Hub Business Start Up programme runs until the end of 2018 and people thinking about starting up on their own or forming a company can access a huge range of start up support designed to give their business the best possible chance of success.