Prince’s Trust enterprise award for Drum-Cycle boss
A SHEPSHED businessman has won the East Midlands and East of England NatWest Enterprise Award at The Prince’s Trust Awards.
The awards ceremony was held last Tuesday (October 15) at the Metronome in Nottingham. The Prince’s Trust and TK Maxx & Homesense Awards honour the achievements of young people who have succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life, had a positive impact on their local community, as well as people who have played a part in supporting the work of The Trust.
And the NatWest Enterprise Award was won by Jason Rushby the owner of Drum-Cycle which opened in the Hall Croft in March this year.
Jason’s life is best described as a roller coaster ride, but even through the difficult periods of Jason’s life he never abandoned his passion for music and this gave him his novel and eco-friendly business idea to upcycle musical instruments into clocks, furniture and decorative items.
Online research led Jason to the Enterprise programme at The Prince’s Trust which supports young people to open businesses with advice, a mentor and the opportunity to apply for funding. Jason did well on the programme and with the Trust’s support, guidance and training he opened his business Drum Cycle.
Jason’s said: “I’m so proud that I now own my shop and am running a successful business. It’s been a long and hard journey, but it shows that with the right support you can achieve anything.
“School was not a great time for me, as I was bullied and did not do that well. After school there were good times when I had great jobs and a stable relationship, but there were also challenging times, when I had no home, no partner and no job.
“I found myself living on the street and struggling with my mental health and the misuse of alcohol. Even when I managed to get a flat, I fell into rent arrears and could have lost everything.
“Whatever was happening around me, I never lost my passion for music and came up with an idea to upcycle musical instruments into furniture and clocks.
“I did some research and found The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme. They were great at giving me all the support, guidance and direction that I needed to start up the new business.
“With my confidence boosted, I started Drum Cycle in 2017. It was small scale at first, working from a rented garage and selling my products online. But I had ambitious plans and I have now opened a shop and am proud to say that I am exporting worldwide.
“I could not believe it when I was told I had won. I am so thankful to everyone at The Trust who has helped me gain the confidence and skills to start my own business. I would recommend The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme to any young person looking to start their own business or going self-employed”
Barry Lewis, Head of Customer Experience for NatWest Corporate and Commercial Bank said: “Congratulations to Jason on winning the Enterprise award. He has shown how it is possible to transform a great idea into a sustainable business. Well done!”