Jane Yeoman's enterprising Little Steps
Location: Truro, Cornwall
ESF Funding: Convergence, Department for Work and Pensions
ESF Target Group: Self Employed and Social Enterprise
A social enterprise set up to benefit a children’s charity is offering the perfect way to shop ethically this Christmas.
Little Steps sells new and secondhand goods for under fives as well as offering changing, feeding, and play areas and the chance to socialise with other parents. Profits go to Children’s Hospice South West – a unique organisation that provides specialist hospice care for families with life-limited children – as well as back into running the shop.
The shop, in Tinner’s Court, Truro, was set up by Jane Yeomans after she developed the idea as her project for the Cornwall School for Social Entrepreneurs (CSSE) programme. CSSE is managed by Cornwall Development Company, and is the seventh SSE to become established in the UK with support from the ESF (European Social Fund) Convergence Programme co-financed by Jobcentre Plus via Cornwall Works for Social Enterprise.
Jane, from St Newlyn East, near Newquay, explained, "For me, Little Steps is about collecting, sorting and reselling clothes, toys and equipment for children under five years of age and doing that all under a banner that is a little bit funky, appealing to parents, as well as helping to fund the amazing work of Little Harbour."
She went onto say, "I heard about Children’s Hospice South West and the incredible appeal to build the new Little Harbour hospice and I felt strongly that there was a need for a central point to reuse these children’s goods and in turn make valuable cash for a vital charity."
Sally Heard, Development Manager, CSSE said, "We are absolutely thrilled that, through much hard work, determination and commitment, Jane has realised her ambition to open Little Steps. The shop will provide a great service for local people while at the same time, generating much needed revenue for Little Harbour."
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said, "Jane is an example of the many, imaginative entrepreneurs we have in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly that add to the diversity of our economy. ESF Convergence via CSSE supported her to develop her ideas and launch Little Steps which combines commercialism with charity work as well as encouraging recycling."
Sharon Elliott, Children’s Hospice South West Regional Retail Manager, said, "We were very excited when Jane approached us with her idea for a new kind of charity shop and have enjoyed working with her to help create Little Steps."
More information
- Little Steps on the Children’s Hospice South West website.
Call the Children’s Hospice South West Cornwall office on 01726 871800.
Clare Morgan, Media Relations Manager for the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Tel: 01872 223439 / 07973 813647. Email: cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk