A new business has been supported to set up in Derby Cathedral Quarter’s Market Hall – helping its owner realise his ambitions to return to the industry that he loves.

Your Good Health, specialising in natural health products, has been set up by David Pearson (59) from Castle Donington who has worked in the industry for nearly 40 years but found himself jobless after being made redundant last year.

The business has been supported to set by Erewash Partnership through the New Enterprise Allowance programme and by Derby City Council as part of the Be Your Own Boss scheme to attract new businesses into the Market Hall.

David has worked in the natural health products industry as a retailer, product distributor and training advisor but was made redundant last year.

He explained: “I have been very successful in the industry – working at director level for some of the top international health food companies but, because of my age, have found it impossible to find another job in the industry.

“Being unemployed has been a very humbling experience but I was determined not to just give up and, as I have run my own business before, I was keen to get back into retail.

 “There is a great deal of help available to new businesses setting up but I had to go looking for it.  I have had extensive support from Erewash Partnership including a business mentor and the First Pitch scheme for the markets is a great help with reduced rents and rates.

“The Market Hall is a wonderful environment and everyone is very supportive.  I had looked at high street premises but they were way out of my price range so starting here is the best option for me as a start-up business.”

Your Natural Health specialises in a wide range of vitamins, minerals and health supplements as well as hair and skin products.

David continued: “There are so many products available on the internet and in shops nowadays that people are often taking things that they really don’t need and do not know what is in the supplements especially if they are in a foreign language.

“I am a qualified natural health advisor and therefore spend time with new customers to find out what they are already taking, what their problems are and whether they have spoken to their GP.

“A common problem in this area seems to be stomach problems and particularly diverticulitis and this condition needs to be handled with care.

“Although natural health products are a proven alternative to conventional medicine they should be treated with as much care and attention as prescribed medicines so it is important that people know what they are taking and why.”

Martin Langsdale, chair of the Cathedral Quarter management group, which drives forward activities under the area’s Business Improvement District status, added: “The Market Hall is the perfect location for new businesses starting up and, with the support schemes available, is becoming a hub for high quality and innovative entrepreneurial retailers.

“As a BID we are supporting the Market Hall in a number of ways, including the Food Hub with weekly cookery demonstrations by some of the top local chefs every Thursday lunchtime and we are looking at other key initiatives which will help to animate this historic part of the Cathedral Quarter to support businesses there.”

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Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945665; sarah@jjpublicrelations.co.uk

Derby Cathedral Quarter has teamed up with Derby-based arts promoters Furthest From the Sea to organise a monthly arts event to attract more people into the area and showcase local talent.

The monthly event entitled ‘CQ Saturdays presents - Knickerbocker Glorious’ will launch on Saturday May 18 with a host of musicians, comedians, poets and dancers on stage at the waterfall in the Market Place between 11am and 3pm.

This will be complemented by further street entertainment around the area including, for the first event, a caricature artist, Cliff Shelton who will be working in Sadler Gate – creating drawings of visitors for £5 for singles up to £10 for family portraits.

Musician and arts promoter Matt McGuinness is from Furthest From the Sea – so called because of Derby’s land-locked location.

He explained: “The Cathedral Quarter prides itself on being individual, diverse and inspiring and we needed something quirky to reflect the unique attributes of the area and the independent businesses here.

“Although the name ‘Knickerbocker Glorious’ is unusual, it perfectly reflects what we are trying to do - tempt people into the area with something new and exciting and incorporate lots of different layers and surprises with a large degree of spontaneity to engage and involve the audience and create a feel good factor in the area.

 “By bringing together established and emerging artists with a wide range of talents – we aim to make this a firm fixture in people’s diaries so that they keep returning to the Cathedral Quarter to enjoy live entertainment and then everything else that the area has to offer.”

The second event will be held on Saturday June 15 and will then feature as part of a day-long arts extravaganza ‘Furthest From the Sea’ in the Market Place on June 29 which has been organised by Matt and a huge team of volunteers – featuring around 150 artists.

Matt continued: “Derby is becoming known as a festival city and we hope that this will be such a huge success that it quickly becomes part of this growing calendar.

“There is a huge wealth of talent in this area and the monthly ‘Knickerbocker Glorious’ and ‘Furthest from the Sea’ events will be fantastic showcases for artists with something for all the family to enjoy.”

Paul Hurst, vice chair of the Cathedral Quarter management group, which drives forward activities under the area’s Business Improvement District Status, concluded: “The objectives of the Cathedral Quarter include providing a great lifestyle experience for visitors and people working in the area to enjoy and to create a platform for businesses to promote themselves and attract new customers.

“Knickerbocker Glorious is the first stage of a wide range of weekend events over the summer under the ‘CQ Saturdays presents’ banner which will give people another reason to come to the Cathedral Quarter and create opportunities for businesses to get involved through special promotions and their own events.”

For more information about the monthly ‘CQ Saturdays presents’ events in the Cathedral Quarter, visit www.derbycathedralquarter.co.uk, follow us on twitter @DerbyCQ and ‘like’ the official facebook page CathedralQuarterDerby

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