An entrepreneur who teaches lifesaving skills to children as young as four-years-old has won this year’s Local Enterprise and Apprenticeship Platform (LEAP) awards, receiving a first prize of £2,500 towards her new business start-up.
Tara Burn of Resus Rangers was announced the winner at an awards ceremony in The View, Seaford Head, following a Dragon's Den-style competition during which six candidates presented their business plans to a panel of judges.
For six years, Tara worked in an ambulance control room, handling more than ten thousand 999 calls. Some of those desperate calls were made by children.
When the government changed the national curriculum to include first aid lessons in schools, Tara saw a unique opportunity to deliver first aid training to children across the UK.
Through Resus Rangers, Tara now teaches children lifesaving skills from the age of four-years-old using an animated programme which includes song, rhyme and dance.
This year’s runner-up and winner of £500 was Kirsten Taylor, of White Cloud Massage Therapies. This is an independent, local therapy business offering a selected range of holistic and medical-based treatments to support its clients’ bodies and minds with an emphasis on lymphatic drainage, trigger point therapy and combining holistic as well as traditional therapies.
Councillor Johnny Denis, Cabinet Member for Customers and Communities, said: “Congratulations to our very worthy winner Tara for starting up Resus Rangers which is breaking ground in helping young people to save lives and also to Kirsten who has set up her own therapy business.”
The LEAP Start-up Programme 2023 will be open for registration in November, however people can register an interest now by emailing info@edeal.org.uk. The 2023 programme is fully funded by Lewes District Council and is open to anyone who lives in the Lewes District Council area and is considering starting a new business. The programme offers a series of workshops and seminars and one-to-one support to create a business plan.
Councillor James MacCleary, Leader of Lewes District Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Prosperity, said: “Year upon year, we continue to invest into the LEAP programme which has proved to be a fantastic springboard into the business world for many entrepreneurs across Lewes district.
“This is part of our commitment to championing new businesses and keeping our local economy strong.”
For more information visit
yourleap.co.uk
