Local tree farm’s business blooms through grant from Enterprising Worcestershire

This initiative has enabled this 120-year-old business to not only vastly improve their set-up time but also attend more shows, such as the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, BBC Gardeners World Live Show and Shrewsbury Flower Show.

Director of Frank P Matthews, Charles James recognised the need to improve the logistics and labour involved in exhibiting at RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) shows.

Seeking to expand their client base across Worcestershire and exhibit at more events, Charles applied to the Enterprising Worcestershire new start-up grant to invest in an exhibition trailer. 

Councillor Adam Kent, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Skills at Worcestershire County Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see local businesses like Frank P Matthews benefiting from the support available through the Enterprising Worcestershire programme. The expansion of their retail offering and the improvements to their logistics will help them reach more customers and continue to grow, while also supporting the local economy. It's great to see such a long-standing business modernising and adapting to new opportunities."

Charles James, Managing Director at Frank P Matthews stated: "We’ve historically exhibited at the RHS Malvern Spring Show and various local shows. In the past, attending these shows required sending a team a few days in advance for setup. The idea behind applying for the grant is to purchase a trailer that allows us to streamline the process and attend more shows throughout the season. With everything pre-set up, a smaller team can set up quickly on the day of the show and focus on the tasks at hand."

"This increase in efficiency has enabled us to attend more shows in the local area and further afield such as BBC Gardeners World Live Show and Shrewsbury Flower Festival allowing us to expand our presence and connect with more local customers."

The Enterprising Worcestershire grants programme offers a variety of support options to enable start-up and early-stage enterprises to develop and thrive

The support includes start-up workshops, business coaching, mentorship, and grant funding to help take your business ideas to the next level.