Member Article

Hartlepool-based dance and fitness entrepreneur wins funding to launch two new bases

A young, Hartlepool-based entrepreneur is about to see her dance and fitness venture rapidly expand, following funding to fuel the expansion of two new North East bases.

Bethany Ainsley has beaten competition by winning the opportunity to raise £180k, as part of the Big Venture Challenge, to fund her business’ growth.

The money, which comes as matched funding with an external investor and the Big Lottery, will enable Nouveau Dance and Fitness CIC to double in size inside two years, launching two new bases in Newcastle and North Yorkshire by early 2016.

When this happens Bethany will have secured over £500k in Big Lottery cash, targeted at successful and effective social enterprises since her businesses inception 5 years ago.

Bethany said: “I’m delighted to have got this opportunity which gives us the ability to realise our plan for expansion into two new geographical areas, bringing dance and fitness to the most deprived communities and continue to provide our services to private sector companies to help with their employees’ health and wellbeing.”

The competition was open to hundreds of social enterprises and social entrepreneurs across the UK and Bethany and her business is one of only two in the North East and 40 nationally to have secured the business building funding which is delivered by UnLtd - a company set up to support successful social entrepreneurs.

“Obesity and its terrible mental and physical consequences is a global problem, the fourth biggest cause of death worldwide. That to me is a shocking statistic and shows it is an issue that must be addressed.

“We’ve already proved very successful in tackling obesity rates across County Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees helping over 1200 people a week, many of whom would not have been able to access dance and fitness opportunities without us, change their approach to life style and make their new found fitness stick.

“Our expansion will mean we can help an estimated 2,400 people a week get fitter reducing their risk of heart disease and diabetes. It’s a formula that works and I’m absolutely convinced this is something that can be rolled out nationally.”

Nouveau has already worked with companies including Walkers and Npower but has been largely focused on providing fitness and wellbeing services via the public and third/charity sector delivering programmes such as Move4Life and Move into Sport. Reducing cardiovascular disease and diabetes by providing very low cost and in some cases free opportunities for people to access dance and fitness classes and other wellness focused educational classes.

Bethany also sees private sector business as a major area for expansion.

She said: “Office based workers are prone to health issues that can also affect mental health. Companies are taking these issues much more seriously now, particularly when so many days are being lost through ill health, both mental and physical, as a result.

“On top of this companies can invest in programmes at Nouveau secure in the knowledge that we are a Community Interest Company (CIC) and as such all profit from the business gets ploughed back into the local community.

“We not only have fitness and dance classes but our staff are also trained in mental health because we take an holistic approach and are also implementing programmes designed to improve people’s diets in an affordable way.”

Nouveau Dance and Fitness has offices and a studio in Peterlee but covers the whole of County Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tess by providing classes direct into community centres, village halls and schools. It currently works with 1,200 people across 65 venues every week but is now set to double in size by 2016 from its current complement of 12 instructors to 24.

“With access to this funding we will have the ability to expand the business beyond where we currently operate and we have targeted Newcastle and North Yorkshire.

“The North East and indeed the whole of the UK is facing an obesity epidemic so having seen the formula work in this region we are keen to expand.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →