CASE STUDY:
Support provided under the NDWA funded Business Start-Up Initiative
Background:
The Shin-Gi-Ru Muay-Thai Kickboxing Club in Blackburn was originally established in 2006 as one of two such clubs – its sister organisation having been founded in Bangkok the same year. Through the development of the two centres, the directors sought to provide much needed social facilities for children of all ages.
While carrying out their preparatory work in Thailand, the directors noticed large numbers of children on the streets and their enquiries revealed that many orphans were surviving on their own without any form of adult care or protection. As a result, they took the decision not only to set up a martial arts club in the area but also to found their own childcare centre - the Patna Khan Orphanage.
Support Provided:
Recognising that they needed expert help, the directors approached Enterprise4All, an organisation that provides free advice and assistance for start-up businesses in Lancashire and the North West.
Responding to this need, Enterprise4All advisers organised a series of workshops and one to one support sessions, through which they helped the club with vital issues such as financial planning, marketing and the development of an international trade strategy. They identified potential barriers that would need to be overcome, opportunities that could be exploited and existing strengths that would play an important part in the club's success over the coming years. One fact that soon became apparent was that the Thai club's location made it an ideal base for an export operation, so the directors began to develop a business model based on the sale of genuine hand-crafted Thai products within Britain.
Results:
As a result of this support, the Shin-Gi-Ru club in Blackburn now has a thriving membership of all ages and ethnicities, and runs a successful business selling imported goods such as silk scarves, handbags, fair-trade honey, hand made jewellery boxes and ornaments made from mango wood. All profits go to support the Patna Khan Orphanage while the manufacture of the ornaments also provides an important source of income for the people of local hill tribes in Thailand.
The club's success was acknowledged when the Mayor of Blackburn, Cllr. Mohammed Khan O.B.E. attended a special celebration evening attended by representatives of the local business support community and by many of the club's members, who provided a lively and entertaining demonstration of their martial art skills.
The club can be contacted by calling (01254) 59872 or 07976 158 760.