Portsmouth Business School
Enterprise students help set-up Southsea Greenhouse
Tue, May 31, 2011
The students studying on the BA (Hons) Business Enterprise Development degree shared their knowledge and skills to help steer real-life social enterprise project ‘Southsea Greenhouse’ from the drawing board through to its launch.
Southsea Greenhouse is a new community shop selling local produce on the seafront. It is being run as a co-operative by volunteers seven days a week, all year round.
The partnership came about when senior lecturer Trevor Andrews was presenting at a ‘School for Social Entrepreneurs’ event where he met social entrepreneur, Sue Stokes. Sue was looking for input to help get her new business venture, Southsea Greenhouse, off the ground.
Trevor said: “Linking with local projects is a great way of creating a two-way relationship between the Portsmouth Business School and the community. Working with Sue to establish Southsea Greenhouse has given the students a fantastic opportunity to gain genuine business experience whilst helping an up-and-coming company to flourish.”
Sue was on the cusp of launching the co-operative - selling locally grown flowers, plants, fruit and vegetables - but needed some help with her business plan before launching. She took on six students who helped test her business model and gave feedback on profile raising, demographics, marketing and supply chain management.
Sue said: “My dream is to run an accessible and affordable business which has a real vibrancy about it and having the students on board has been a huge asset. The long-term goal is to open a flower café where customers can sit and have a coffee surrounded by beautiful flowers.”
Third year student Lucian Ene who worked on the Southsea Greenhouse project said he had gained a thorough understanding of the benefits and challenges facing a new business. He said: “The course is all about using innovation and initiative and working so closely with Sue has allowed me to really contribute knowledge, skills and experience to the development of her idea.”