International Women’s Day: Recognising the female entrepreneurs of Hartlepool

The mission of the day is to help forge a gender equal world that is diverse, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination whilst also celebrating women’s achievements.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s Economic Growth Team Team want to use IWD as an opportunity to highlight and celebrate female entrepreneurs who own businesses in Hartlepool, who have recently benefitted from Council support. 

The five business being recognised are: 

Cheryl Laycock Fitness 

Cheryl’s fitness instructor journey began when she was 17 working at Mill House. After being made redundant in 2020 as a gym manager, she realised she had a great client base and a lot of supportive friends and this was the catalyst to start and build her own business. In 2020 through a national pandemic Cheryl Laycock Fitness was born. Cheryl received support from Hartlepool Borough Council’s Economic Growth Team with her business plan and moved into the Hartlepool Enterprise Centre, which is managed by the Council, in December 2021 after outgrowing her previous premises and needed a dedicated facility for her clients.

Mangata

Sarah Leanne Trappe gained a BA in Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University and went on to achieve an MA in Philosophy whilst recovering from spinal surgery to treat her severe scoliosis. Sarah found therapeutic enjoyment working more sculpturally and began using wood and then clay and cement. Finding a kin with the ethos of Scandi design and lifestyle and it was here that Mångata was born.  Mångata Design now finds its business home in the wonderful creative hub: the BIS, Whitby Street studios in Hartlepool and began officially trading in December 2021.  The BIS, which managed by Hartlepool Borough Council, is a home for creative industry sector businesses in Hartlepool. 

Real Food Daily 

Real Food Daily is a plant based and vegan catering home delivery service based from a cloud kitchen on Graythorpe Industrial Estate. A cloud kitchen is a delivery-only restaurant that has no physical space for dine-in. It relies entirely on online orders placed through online food aggregators or an online ordering-enabled website or mobile app. Nichola, owner of Real Food Daily, is a trained Chef having worked in LA and at Wynyard Hall as Kitchen garden Grower. Using her own funds to set up the cloud kitchen she needed additional funds to help her purchase packaging and glassware from her products and Nichola was successful in applying for a Hartlepool Borough Council £500 self-employment grant to help start up her business.

The Story Frog 

The Story Frog began trading in September 2021 after Kay Brown moved away from full time teaching in schools to strive for a healthier work-life balance. The Story Frog delivers classes for Early Years children whilst developing communication, language, reading and writing skills.  Classes are based upon a theme with linked stories, rhymes and a range of activities including messy play, art & craft, fine and gross motor skill development. Kay started her business through accessing the new business start-up support from Hartlepool Borough Council’s Economic Growth Team and has since brought an empty premises brought back into use for her business.

Uniting Talent 

Managing Director Kayleigh Bradley, founded Uniting Talent back in February 2021 and operated from home in the initial set up period. Uniting Talent’s market is based around the SME market and they work with the smallest company to the largest of SMEs. Uniting Talent also works very closely with apprenticeship providers to enable the opportunity for organic natural growth from the young of Hartlepool. Their future growth will be based on the local people and the opportunity they can release to them. Uniting Talent moved into Hartlepool Enterprise Centre in October 2021 and have since employed two staff following their move into the centre. 

Caron Auckland, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Enterprise Manager, said: “International Women’s Day is a significant day in the calendar and we couldn’t miss the opportunity to mark it by recognising the amazing work of businesswomen in Hartlepool.”

“Within the Economic Growth Team, we have been working to empower and support those women who take a chance and decide to branch out on their own. We’ve been able to provide them with advice on a range of topics including finance, business plans, recruitment and business premises - all of which helps their businesses thrive and grow.”

“I would encourage any Hartlepool resident interested in self-employment or anyone who is thinking about setting up a business in Hartlepool to get in touch with the team by calling (01429) 867677 or email business.support@hartlepool.gov.uk.