The Prince of Wales Hospice recently held a “Dragons Den” event for schools and colleges in the Pontefract area and our Managing Director, Claire Sutherley, took part as one of the Dragons. 

Budding entrepreneurs from Carlton High School, Kings High School and New College took part in the competition to onboard a Dragon and support with a business idea to raise funds for the Hospice. 

Claire mentored the New College Team in their Young Enterprise project where they created a business called New Nature and sold wild flower seed kits from a stall in the White Rose Shopping Centre in March.  They raised £46 on the day and continue to sell the kits with a target of 100 unit sales set to raise £200 for patient care at the Hospice. 

Claire said: “The students showed real initiative and flair with their ideas and really took on board the Dragons’ suggestions to refine their product for maximum sales impact.  They looked at sustainability, target markets and budgets to ensure the product was attractive and affordable to buyers.” “I was really proud to be involved with a great initiative to promote entrepreneurship in young people and of course support The Prince of Wales Hospice.”   

This business shaker provides a no-nonsense approach to the issues affecting you and your business.

They will challenge your current mind-set and existing systems and processes, shake them up and see where they land, this helps businesses get excited about change and get them out of their comfort zone.

Zest will empower you with knowledge, skills and confidence to enable you to take your business to where you want it to be. They have exceptional experience & expertise in owning and managing businesses in all aspects of business operation, in leading & managing teams and in designing and facilitating 1:1 and group business & management training.

They work with businesses who want to shake up their marketing & sales, their operations & systems, their people & management, their financial management & growth potential.

If you have business or management issues, Zest will get right to the core of them, get them out in the open and support you to deal with them.

This SME-focused technology partner are on a mission to deliver digital transformation through strategy!

Ideally located in the heart of Wakefield centre, this company has a large breadth of experience working with small to medium size businesses to create and deliver digital strategy.

They have worked with businesses large and small, helping them focus on where digital can help. From cost reduction to improving customer experience, they develop customer experiences through analytical process and research to deliver on strategic objectives.

Alongside this, they build apps and websites using the right tools for the right job, but they are particular experts in WordPress and Drupal development.

Whether you are in the city or country, The Yorkshire Handbag Company have you covered with their designs.

The different colour options follow the changing seasons of the Yorkshire countryside and there will be a handbag that’s just right for you!

Crafted from the highest quality natural leather, and inspired by the beautiful women of Yorkshire. Discover a new love for leather handbags, purses and backpacks where you don’t have to compromise on style when choosing a practical bag.

Yorkshire is such a diverse county, and we are fortunate to have the beauty of the natural countryside, the bustle of vibrant cities and the heritage of our history. This all provides inspiration and influence to the handbag collection and in particular use of rich colours.

Every handbag is carefully designed to make your life more colourful, vibrant and conveniently stylish!

Check out the full Yorkshire Handbag Company range here!

Long-standing We Are Wakefield members, Bier Huis are the number one retailer in Wakefield for real ale, craft beer, cider and spirits!

Alongside being a retailer of over 400 beers, 50 Gins, 80 ciders and more this unique venue is home to a microbar where you can try and buy.

Located in Ossett with free parking outside, they offer a number of tasting events for a perfect local night out. With Britain’s biggest choice of Yorkshire ale and an amazing selection of Yorkshire beers & the best of UK, Belgium Germany and more, Bier Huis can’t wait to welcome you and show you their vast array of choices on offer.

Can’t get to the store? Then get your ales by mail with free local delivery on all orders over £30 and UK-wide shipping supplied by a courier.

It all started on January 26th 2011 with a “flash in the pan” idea which led to “can this be done?”

The plan was created and the hunting began for a suitable venue, where customers far and wide could to get to and park with ease. A place to where brewers from across the North could deliver. The name was created after realising that “Yorkshire Bottle” is a gas bottle company in Doncaster.

They thought of something different and what better than Beer House but wanted to give it that Belgium/Dutch feel and so Bier Huis was born. After much empty shop hunting, for one which ticked all the boxes, the place in Ossett was signed and sealed – although it took time!

Make sure to check out this award-winning company and the vast variety of beverages they have on offer: Bier Huis.

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With their Wakefield factory based on Portobello Road, this worldwide company which has some fantastic opportunities, is accessible locally.

So, what do they do? Well, maybe the question is what don’t they do…

The Elis brand offers a wide range of laundry and hygiene services to number of different sectors, to name but a few they offer cleanroom services, flat linen, floor protection, surgical solutions, washroom and work wear to small to large companies across the globe.

After hosting one of our events, our members were treated to a tour of the Elis facility which they were shown what the company can do for small, local businesses, as well as the larger, nationwide companies.

We caught up with General Manager at Elis, Jonny Parkinson, who explained what the main focus of the company is.

“At Elis we pride ourselves on our core values of Respect, Integrity, Responsibility and Exemplarity, these are at the forefront of our business model and a focus of all our customer partnerships,” he explains.

“Elis are a multiservice provider offering Workwear, Floorcare, Washroom and Wipers on industrial scale, serviced from one location and one supplier.

We have a wide knowledge base and scope to offer bespoke commercial packages to suit individual needs, these can range from local, independent businesses through to large national or European organisations.”

Elis have been members of We Are Wakefield for some time now, and Jonny tells us how it has helped the company in a local capacity:

“Our site has operated in the same location over many decades, employing local people but has never had a real presence in the community.

We want to work with local organisations to share best practise, become aware of how we can support the community of Wakefield businesses commercially and operationally by building strong relationships and connections.

This is out first year and already we have made some good connections, utilising fellow WAW members services to support our organisation.

As a business Elis UK have now entered the washroom market offering washroom and hygiene solutions across the Yorkshire region from it’s plant in Wakefield.

We have invested in our service delivery capability, products and services and have capacity to work with organisations to find a fit for purpose solution.

If you are interested in a no obligation site survey our team are contactable on (01924) 240250 – Quoting FreeWashroomSurvey.”

Did you miss out on the We Are Wakefield networking event at Elis and wondering what you missed? Take a look at this video that Elis have recently recorded for more information on what they do:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnc1vX9p_7k

DSM Productions is a family-run business stemming from the heart of Yorkshire. They have a passion for delivering world-class events to a local and international stage.

Founded in 2015, by MD Dan Smith, they have continued to develop a strong trust and bond with their clients, trusting them to deliver the right event.

By being based in Thornes, Wakefield, and having the advantage of the M1, M62 and A1 all within a few miles of the warehouse, this enables them to cover the entire UK from a fairly central location.

The range of clients span from Portsmouth right up to Aberdeen and not forgetting the local venues they support on a 24/7 basis. Over the last 3 years DSM Productions have built strong relationships with other AV and production companies across the UK, giving them access to a network of equipment, crew and expertise should the need ever arise. They are continually expanding stock holdings and operate a regular renewal system so that they can offer up to date, industry leading equipment.

Dan comes from a theatre background after starting his career at the age of 13 – lending a hand to amateur dramatic productions. From there he freelanced in the events industry working on conferences, music festivals and many more productions. In 2015 Dan founded DSM Productions with the vision of building on his passion.

Are you looking for a way to reach of thousands of potential customers all within a few hours? Well we’ve got just the solution – First Choice Media.

Their mobile advertising screen is a cost-effective option for promoting any business or event for hire across the entire UK.

Screens can be used for mobile advertising, LED event screens, sporting events, mobile cinema, festivals, static advertising, product launches and exhibition stands.

Imagine being stuck in rush-hour traffic, with nowhere to go, and a huge screen catches your eye, full with information about products, events and businesses in the area. It’s a perfect way for you engage so many people in such a small amount of time with little resources.

And what’s even better is, it’s so simple to get in touch with First Choice – just fill out their form on their website with as much information as possible and someone from their team will get in touch.

In a world filled with global warming, underpaid workers and price inflations, it really is hard to see how you can do your bit to help the planet. So, imagine when we tell you that you can support farmers, help the environment and save a penny or two all by buying one cup of coffee – that’s right; KRAFT Koffee can!

Their specialty coffee and distinctive brewing methods not only ensure you will be supplied with a tasty cup of joe, but you can do your part to save the world – that’s two perks, just from one cup.

Let’s start at the very beginning, they buy their beans from North Star Roast. A sustainable and trusted supplier of the finest quality coffee beans who over the years has built strong and trusted relationships with small coffee producers across the globe at fair and reasonable prices to ensure the farmers are taken care of financially.

Filling up landfills? No thanks – that’s not the vibe, which is why every single one of KRAFT’s takeaway cups are compostable, meaning that when you’ve finished with them, they have another life beyond serving you with tasty, honest coffee.

Do you care about the environment and do everything you can to make a difference? Well, that’s why they offer a bring-your-own-cup discount for anyone who turns up with their own travel mug. Just a little thank you for also caring about the planet.