|
Testimonials |
|
|
Deciding which business support
organization to work with is an important decision for organizations. You
need to be confident that you are going to receive the right advice and guidance
from people who know what they are talking about. To that end we’ve asked a
few of our clients to say a few words about their experiences working with
us. We hope you find this useful when making a decision about whether to work
with us. CDA has been massively helpful in getting
my business idea off the ground; it assisted me in getting over that hill
from 'just an idea' to something concrete that actually exists. Everything
seems so complex when you are doing it on your own; the company documents had
seemed so difficult but Jon made it as simple as possible and now they are
all done and I have an actual company. It was also just great to be able to
ask any question about business/social enterprise and have it explained in a
simple way, both in person and through email conversations. They have helped
with PAYE issues, fundraising, general finance issues and generally dispensed
expertise,which is invaluable to someone who doesn't really know anyone in
social enterprise and has no experience! They also just put across this sense
that you can do it and you will do it and that it is just a matter of
following the steps to get where you want to be, which is encouraging, as
having your own business generally feels like something only 'other people'
will be able to do. I would not have been able to set this up so quickly and
proficiently without the help from CDA, nor had the confidence to progress
that comes from knowing you can get advice and guidance when you need it. -Kerry-Jo
Reilly, Altre Limited CDA has helped Nations Together from the
beginning of an idea to the realization that Nations Together is now a
registered Ltd company. The support has been extremely helpful with the
planning of the business from assisting with what documents are needed to
fulfill registration requirements, the opening of bank accounts, web site
design, PAYE and payroll information, inland revenue requirements, insurances
needed and also assistance with targeting clientel and support with bids for
funding. The support has been valuable and especially knowing that there is a
name and a friendly face available to help at any time has been very
reassuring either by phone, email or face to face. It would have been very
difficult to start this organisation without the support of the CDA team. Thank, you The
Humberside Co-operative Development Agency have been extremely influential at
providing advice in which direction to take forward our business both
strategically and financially. Their one-to-one support has generated a
plethora of useful ideas and has subsequently enabled us to receive funding
from Business Link as well as help us develop our business plan. They are a
very approachable and helpful organisation which many businesses could
benefit from using. -Alex Sergent, Catch21
Productions Humberside CDA have been very supportive of
my social enterprise venture with HEMCC(FL). essentially without the help,
advice, guidance, ideas and money from CDA my social enterprise would not
have been running today. Right from the beginning Jon has given full support
to my business - well beyond what I could have ever expected from an
organisation such as the CDA, even now that we are becoming more established
he is still able to offer invaluable assistance free of charge. Thanks! -Sefa
Akkirec, With regards to the CDA, the help and
advice given to us, by them has been invaluable. Having worked with Jon from the CDA, he
has helped us every step of the way, from helping with regards to filling in
paperwork to setting up a company, to putting us in contact with relevant
people and organisations. With out the help given by the CDA, we
would not have come as far on with trying to start our social enterprise, as
what we have now. All advice given has been very accurate,
and has been followed up. The CDA have followed and helped us through each
process. The point of contact has been easy access,
and can be contacted at any time. They are very apporachable and we have no
hesitation in asking for help, and if uncertain we ask for clarity. We really appreciate all the help and
advice received in the past and from them, and know we can rely on them for
the same in the future - Wendy
Houfe, The Vision This is to thank Jon Clarke for his
efforts in helping me to set up the new Social Enterprise business - Direct
Online Counselling Limited. The company was formed efficiently and Mr Clarke
was always helpful and solicitous in my dealings with him. - John
Schofield, Direct Online Counselling Limited. During the past year I have needed and
received much help from the CDA group. I am setting up an independent social
enterprise health clinic, the Well-One Ltd and I first met Jonathan Clarke
when he was leading a workshop on business plans for social enterprises in
Goole. I needed a considerable amount of help to get the business side of
this venture started and Business Link gave a small grant to get us started
so I asked CDA to help. I found the help given by Jon was first class and the
business plan that he helped me to make is now in use, helping me to get the Healthcare
Commission License, open bank accounts and seek funding grants. He has good
knowledge of his subjects and communicates well with his clients. I have
found him to be reliable and I am happy to recommend him to others. I look
forward to working with him again in the future and wish him well with his
ventures in the future. -Dr The CDA were very useful
to us in helping us to carry on running our womens centre at a very difficult
time. Jon Clarke wrote all our policies for us to adopt as a business and
also formed our company for us so we could become a company limited by
guarantee. -Debbi Bailey, I would am writing to thank you for all
the support we have received from Humberside CDA to enable Scunthorpe
Barbarians Rugby League Club to become a fully functional Rugby League Club
in the Co-operative National Summer Conference. I would also like to take
this opportunity to say how professional and useful the funding support has
been and hope that the bids that have been submitted are successful to enable
children and adults from all backgrounds play rugby in a safe environment. - Jug Johal,
Chairman, Scunthorpe Barbarians Our organisation has worked with the CDA
for over twenty years. This relationship has become closer in the last ten
years, during which time, we have regularly received a range of assistance
from them. This help has usually been in the areas of financial planning and
corporate governance. The service we have received has always been very
incisive and of a very high quality. Without the assistance we have received
we consider that we would have struggled to take our project forward in a
very difficult market. Should you require any further information then please
do not hesitate to get in touch. - Martin
Newman, Giroscope (housing project) I wish to confirm that CDA have helped us
to obtain a grant of £8.000 over the last twelve months. Many problems have been overcome during
this period and CDA have gone the extra mile in their dealings with our
application - "Humberside CDA ran a business
planning workshop which I attended prior to starting my social enterprise
'Human Compass Ltd.'. I found the workshop and the subsequent business plan
which was created during the workshop very useful. The subsequent business
support which I received from HCDA was invaluable during the setting up of
'Human Compass' and I wish to thank HCDA for the support given". -James Amos,
Human Compass Theatre Limited The CDA have been like a life raft for us
- we felt very isolated in our struggles to stay afloat in -Anna
Ingleby, Indigo Moon Theatre To
whom it may concern I
have worked with Humberside CDA for just under 1 year. In that time I have
felt that I have not only received expert help and advice but in Jon Clarke
established an excellent working relationship that has greatly assisted me in
the development of Second Byte I.T Ltd and associated group of companies. I
look forward to working with Jon on future projects as his input and
professional capability are without question. - Humbersidecda through Jonathan Clarke has
helped Gateway Training & Regeneration Services to secure funding after
making a Business plan. i found Jon helpful and he is an easy person deal
with. His meeting with clients are very helpful. Thank you, - Martin
Chinga, Gateway Regeneration and Training I'm happy to highly recommend Jon Clarke at
Humberside CDA. Rather than simply signposting, his advice and support was
invaluable in navigating through the paper work & bureaucracy, helping us finally arrive at the point we
wanted to be. -Common Ground,
|
|