PRIME Cymru Success Stories

September 25, 2024

My lockdown project became a business!

During the pandemic Conor Elliott tentatively began to stroll around his local area in Penarth, near Cardiff . His walks were brightened by the many rainbows […]
July 10, 2024

Trailrippers Project CIC – Community and Connection Through Mountain Biking

Ina De Smet’s teenage boys are very talented mountain bikers and are already making their mark in the sport. Aged just 15 and 13, they have […]
June 3, 2024

Volunteers Week – Carol secures role with the Parish Trust

Volunteers’ Week celebrates the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities across the UK. At PRIME Cymru, we encourage clients to pursue volunteering positions as a way […]
May 29, 2024

Watch this space – new production company coming soon to North Wales!

Daf Palfrey has been working in the Film and TV industry for 25 years as a scriptwriter, director and producer.  He has worked on shows such […]
May 15, 2024

“There is a path ahead”

Sometimes career paths can take an unexpected turn and you are left without a plan, searching for new avenues of employment.  Starting your own business can […]
May 7, 2024

Chris secures ideal job following free interview support

At the end of October last year I left my job of 8 years as a Quality Control Technician as I was very unhappy in my […]
May 1, 2024

PRIME Cymru helps Huw to finally pursue his passion

Huw Blacker, from Swansea, has always loved painting. After school, he went to art college and got a degree in Fine Art.  But Huw found himself […]
May 1, 2024

Never too late – Emma starts photography business in her 60s

After 20 years working in the pensions industry, Emma Petruzzelli is finally pursuing her dream of becoming a professional photographer.  Showing it’s never too late to […]
April 2, 2024

Richard offered a permanent job role, with support from PRIME Cymru

Richard Allen has a varied employment background, working in the property and care industry.  During a difficult stage of his career where he was needing some […]
March 19, 2024

Justin’s drone business off to a flying start!

  Justin Jones has an interesting career background, spending many years working in East Africa building rig pads and access roads for agricultural villages.   He […]
October 30, 2023

Tim Jones found work he is passionate about after redundancy – you can too!

Tim Jones, aged 52, was employed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action for 13 years. He had worked as a support officer, assisting organisations who had […]
October 20, 2023

Gareth Foulkes’ journey to becoming The Disabled People’s Employment Champion!

Gareth Foulkes has had an incredible career journey, overcoming many barriers along the way as a deaf person. Gareth spent a lot of his youth trying […]
September 19, 2023

Julian Price ‘I wouldn’t have been able to start my business without PRIME Cymru’

Julian Price, aged 57, retired in October of last year. He quickly found himself bored being out of work, and so decided to start up a […]
September 13, 2023

Rachel Adams makes an incredible difference through equine assisted youth work!

PRIME Cymru client, Rachel Adams, is doing incredible work with her ‘Coeden Bywyd Horse Project’. The project works with young people and a small herd of rescued […]
August 21, 2023

Nicola Jones inspired to start her own business by her calming alpacas!

Nicola Jones, aged 56, found herself looking to make a career change due to the uncertainty of COVID. With a varied career background, having worked as […]
August 15, 2023

It’s never too late to start a new career!

When mentor, Nick Curruthers, met Gaynor Mahoney, she was unsure of what direction to take her career. She had worked as a customer service supervisor for […]
June 26, 2023

Microgreens business inspiring children to enjoy healthy foods!

PRIME Cymru client, Stephan Parry, from Bridgend, is using his passion for his microgreens business to educate local children on the benefits of healthy eating.   ‘Happy […]
May 15, 2023

Jay Jones proves it’s never too late to turn a passion into a business 

Music has always been a huge part of Jay Jones’s life. Growing up, she had many musical influences and enjoyed several different genres. Over the years, […]
April 24, 2023

The power of volunteering – PRIME Cymru helps Kelvin through hard times 

When Development Officer, Mike Evans, met army veteran, Kelvin Preece, he was struggling with the loss of his wife and his confidence levels were very low.  […]
March 7, 2023

Starting your own business after redundancy

Rowena Lloyd-Thomas has always liked the idea of running her own business.   As a child growing up in Rhyl, she watched her parents run successful B&B […]
November 9, 2022

“Becoming self-employed can be easy with the right support”

Jade Wilkinson always wanted to work in hair and beauty, but the timing was never right. Nearly a decade after studying hairdressing, she’s finally entering the industry she loves.
October 11, 2022

Stephen fulfills lifelong ambition to volunteer with the police 

Stephen Owen, aged 60 from South Wales, has always admired the police, so was over the moon when PRIME Cymru was able to help him secure […]
September 20, 2022

Chris pursues his passion with custom guitar business

Chris Jones, from North Wales, has been building guitars for 15 years, but it was only during lockdown that he realised that his hobby could become […]
July 12, 2022

Mentoring gives Dawn her motivation back

Dawn Parker, from South Wales, fell out of love with her office job and started to re-evaluate what made her happy in life. Keen to get […]
May 23, 2022

Want a job that suits your lifestyle? Be your own boss! 

The great thing about running your own business is that you have the freedom the manage your time to suit your lifestyle.  This is especially true […]
November 24, 2021

How do mentors help new businesses?

Nick Bradley gives an insight into mentoring a new business Nick Bradley is a seasoned businessman with experience running an electronics company, robotics business, contract research […]
November 16, 2021

Mentoring Stories: Resilient Foster Care

The hope of profit is often a driving force for entrepreneurs. However, financial gain is not always a motivation for starting a business.   Nigel Fenlon and Hannah […]
September 7, 2021

How volunteering can reveal new career options

Christopher Harry’s career so far has taken him across the world as a computer engineer and he ran his own business, a local pub, for many […]
August 12, 2021

Could running a business work for you?

For single mum Anna Morgan, balancing work with home life was a major factor in her decision to become self-employed.   Anna has had a passion for […]
May 17, 2021

Turn your hobby into a business

Have you ever wanted to make a living doing something you really enjoy?  Stephan Parry, aged 59 from Bridgend, has done just that. What started out as a […]
April 29, 2021

“Encouragement was key” for published author Nicola Clifford 

“It’s all very well getting encouragement from your mother, but it makes a difference when someone from the outside recognises that maybe you’ve got something”, said murder […]
December 10, 2020

Lisa “got back on the horse” following redundancy – and you can too

Lisa was made redundant due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but with support from PRIME Cymru mentor Brian Birtles, she has now secured a new role as […]
November 19, 2020

Walk back through time in Caerphilly

You can learn more about Caerphilly Audio Tours here: https://www.facebook.com/caerphillyaudiotours If you are interested in receiving mentoring to set up your own business, or would like […]
November 3, 2020

“I was at my lowest point – but then I found PRIME Cymru.”

“In January I was at my lowest point.” Earlier this year, Marcia Beynon took an early retirement from her career as a nurse, after being diagnosed […]
October 29, 2020

Retired firefighter finds new career path with help from PRIME Cymru

Paul Harvey from Bridgend was looking for a change in direction after retiring from a long career in the Fire Service. Following a conversation with the […]
October 15, 2020

Alex Holland, Mental Rentals

When Alex was made redundant from a local marquee company, he turned to PRIME Cymru for support to set up his own unique holiday rental business.
October 12, 2020

Ian feels so much better after setting up his own business

PRIME Cymru client, Ian  Davey from Neath Port Talbot, launched Victoria Cycles in August with support from Development Officer Debbie Price. As a result of setting […]
September 17, 2020

Jack uses volunteering to build his portfolio

Jack Walters recently moved to Wales from London, where he worked as an actor. He wanted to become a drama teacher, but that was all put […]
April 30, 2018

Kevin has now successfully achieved his Health and Safety Training Certification

Kevin was a carpenter in the construction industry all his working career until Rheumatoid Arthritis in his hands prevented him from continuing to work. He was […]
April 30, 2018

Barbara secured paid employment at the National Botanic Garden of Wales

PRIME Cymru helped Barbara write her first CV – at the age of 74 – which led to her securing paid employment at the National Botanic […]
November 23, 2017

Danny Deering, Bio Energy Healing

Danny suffered debilitating injuries and retired from South Wales Police. A chance encounter led to him completely recovering and training as a Bio Energy Healer. With […]
November 23, 2017

Nic Williams: Home and Lifestyle Help

Nic had worked in a variety of hospitality jobs and suffered mental health issues. With the help of PRIME Cymru, she set up her own business […]
November 17, 2017

Debbie Price, PRIME Cymru Mentor

When Debbie was made redundant from Tata Steel she felt like her world had been turned upside down. But after talking to PRIME Cymru and finding […]
November 17, 2017

Alan Morgan, Gardening business

Alan was made redundant in his early 50s, having spending most of his working life in the Parks Department of the Local Authority. With support from […]
November 17, 2017

Sue McGuire, Family Tree Business

After a long career in healthcare management Sue was facing retirement but not sure where to turn. After speaking to PRIME Cymru she followed her lifelong […]
November 17, 2017

Dave Marchant, Woodland Management Business

Dave Marchant left his career in I.T. to start his tree management and kiln dried firewood business. Business has grown dramatically and his Bridgend business, Coedcae […]
November 17, 2017

Judy now has a placement to help her gain recent experience

Judy had been economically inactive for several years after her own retail business was forced to close down. This set-back knocked her confidence and Judy was […]
November 18, 2016

Simon finds employment in Powys

Simon had a highly pressurised job in the city for many years until family responsibilities collided with the demands of his job and he resigned. As […]