From tiny Acorns grow success (From York Press)

From tiny Acorns grow success

10:25am Tuesday 2nd October 2007 in

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PUT your heads together - and it is amazing how little Acorns can grow a money tree.

Members of the University of York St John's Acorn course, which helps fledgling ventures to flourish, brainstormed a way of raising more money for the initiative next year.

They decided to launch an Acorn calendar for 2008, selling sponsorship for each month at £250.

The result was astonishing. Ten businesses quickly rallied to pledge their all-year support for the course which in 2006 ran out of money.

But the danger that the course would have to close in 2007 was averted with a £10,000 contribution from Corries Solicitors in York.

Now, as part of their business thinking processes, the 11 people on this year's course were challenged by James Walker, the organiser, to find a collective way of raising about £100 each - and they came up with the calendar, which will be distributed free to about 1,000 small, local businesses.

With the £3,000 eventually raised through sponsorship Acorns students will have easily met the target, once printing and distribution costs have been deducted.

Their success means the continuation of the course which has helped York to buck the national trend and remain the city with the second best survival rate for start-ups anywhere in the UK.

Calendar sponsors are Pitman Training, Aqua Jorvik, Denison Till, Jacida, Ripley's Ice Cream, Morrell Middleton, Ripley's Store, DotcomImaging, Evans Easy Space and Hunters. Just two more are needed to make up a full year.

The Acorns programme, run by York St John University's research and enterprise office is a six-month long start-up business support programme which offers practical, essential advice to turn the ideas and dreams of potential entrepreneurs into reality.

Over the six months they receive tuition from York business leaders in areas including financial management, legal and tax issues, marketing and communication and developing and writing a business plan.

Apart from the latest 11, the course has already helped 23 entrepreneurs to start new businesses.

Any firm which wants to help Acorns grow with sponsorship into 2008 should phone Matthew Handy at 01904 731600.