Kirkbymoorside gym owner Andrew Gamble gets help from Enhancement Fund to boost skills

12:11pm Tuesday 12th January 2010

By Ron Godfrey

A North Yorkshire gym owner and fitness coach has gleaned a share of a £50 million regional training fund which is helping businesses survive the recession by boosting skills.

Andrew Gamble, who runs the Body Basics Fitness Studio in Kirkbymoorside, wanted to improve his skills to ensure that his business stayed one step ahead of the competition during the economic downturn, so he turned to the Enhancement Fund.

The fund helped pay for Andrew – a qualified sports therapist - to improve his skills in sports therapy which, in turn, has enabled him to increase the services he offers to clients.

Andrew was concerned about the costs involved in undertaking extra training until he found out that he was eligible for financial help from the fund.

It aims to improve the region’s skills base by offering help towards training costs for employers who are not eligible for funding from other existing sources. It is supported by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the European Social Fund (ESF) and Yorkshire Forward.

Since its launch a year ago, the fund has supported 6,000 regional businesses of different sizes and sectors, and of these nearly 60 businesses and 1,300 staff were at risk of redundancy. The success of the Enhancement Fund to date means that a further £20 million is to be committed to extend the project into 2012.

David Hodges, Regional Director of Skills for the LSC in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “I would urge employers to find out about the different types of support either for those wanting to raise the skills levels of existing employees, or for businesses seeking support for employees facing redundancy.”

Andrew, who doesn’t employ any staff, received 60 per cent of the costs of two short courses in sports injuries and treatments at the Sue Lincoln School of Holistic Therapies in Filey. He covered the remaining 40 per cent himself.

He said: “I started off as a personal trainer ten years ago and I’ve been building the business up since then. After I opened the gym in Kirkbymoorside, I started offering my clients more and more – like exercise classes and activities for children – and, last year, I qualified as a sports therapist.

“But I firmly believe that continuing to learn and develop is the best way to succeed, especially in the current climate.

“The Enhancement Fund was a big support in helping me to achieve my goals and I’d definitely recommend the fund to others in my position.”

Further information about the Enhancement Fund is available from the Business Link customer information centre on 08456 048048.