Shopping for a brighter future at Trinity Market
HEART OF THE COMMUNITY: Becca McCoid at the MC4C stall in Trinity Market
ADVERTORIAL
A new, entrepreneurial addition to the stalls is giving young people the opportunity to shop for a brighter future on their visits to Trinity Indoor Market.
The location is one of six across the city which have been set up to take the Making Changes for Careers (MC4C) programme into the heart of the community.
A bonus at the market is the presence of Anna Beaumont, who set up her Cone Queen stall in 2017 and can offer first-hand advice on how to overcome adversity and build a business.
MC4C works to give young people the inspiration and support to realise their entrepreneurial ambitions. It focuses particularly on the wider disengaged due to disadvantage – young people of colour, neurodiverse, from LGTBQ+ communities, on universal credit and from working-class communities.
It also has a strong track record of helping care leavers, including Anna, although her route into business was different.
Armed with a degree in musical theatre, Anna was well placed to pursue a career as a singer. She performed at weddings and other occasions and was earning decent money until a tonsillectomy went wrong.
“There was a problem with the operation,” she said.
“I almost died. Recovery should have taken a fortnight but took 14 weeks. I can’t sing any more, it’s just too painful. But I am one of those people who faces their fears. You can dwell on it if you want but is that going to get you to the next step in your life?”
Anna completed a business course through the Prince’s Trust, set up Cone Queen and did a roaring trade with servings of pizza cones and acclaimed chips from an exclusive supplier.
She steered the business through Covid and, when problems arose with the cone manufacturer, opened a bakery, making her own dough and then adding cakes as a sideline.
Somehow she also managed to fit in being a foster carer, and she juggles all of that with living as a single mum to one-year-old Harlem while she awaits a diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
‘AN EXAMPLE TO ALL’: Anna Beaumont and her son Harlem at Cone Queen in Trinity Market
The challenges facing the business are not getting any easier.
“It went really well for the first two years,” said Anna.
“Everything I earned went straight back into the business. I started off selling four types of pizza cone and a side of chips alongside a hot drinks menu. Soon after Covid I started with loaded chips and then last year added pizza loaded hot dogs and nachos.
“I am constantly thinking of different ideas, trying to put new things on the menu and get regular customers. I’m on Just Eat but that comes at a cost.
“I’m open six days a week here and at the bakery, making brownies and sponges that we deliver every weekend. But I work seven days a week and can’t even pay myself so I’m on universal credit right now.
“My biggest challenge is having to choose between being a mum and having a career. There’s not a lot of time for rest but I love this place. We are a close knit community and we all have each other’s backs and we are in the process of setting up a Trinity Traders Facebook group which will hopefully help us attract more customers in.”
Charles Cracknell, Hull City Council’s Youth Enterprise and Microbusiness Manager and a fellow care leaver, sees Anna as an example to all.
“She’s got commitment and determination,” he said.
“A whirlwind, someone who is not prepared to give up. Being a parent and working is difficult enough in terms of all the calls on your time, but being a single parent and running two businesses is something else. It would be easy to shut down but her determination keeps driving her on to succeed.”
MC4C at Trinity Marked is staffed by Becca McCoid and Amanda Brockwell from the Youth Enterprise team every Tuesday from 1.15pm until 3.15pm. They can provide information about access to test market grants, one to one support, business skills training and more.
Help & support:
Gipsyville Library with Alex and Paul: Wednesdays 2pm-4pm
728-730 Hessle Road, Hull HU4 6JA
Oasis Hub with Dan and Alex: Wednesday 10am-12pm
310 Newland Avenue, Kingston Upon Hull, HU5 2NB
The Pennine with Becca and Dan: Tuesdays 9am-12pm
Grampian Way, Bransholme, HU7 5EF
Freedom Centre with Charlene and Becca: Thursdays 2pm-4pm
Preston Road, Hull HU9 3QB
Lonsdale Community Centre with Amanda and Alex: Tuesday11am-1pm
8 Lonsdale Street, Hull HU3 6PA
Trinity Market with Becca and Amanda: Tuesdays 1.15pm-3.15pm
Market Hall, Trinity House Lane, HU1 1RS
Find out more:
Instagram: mc4cinhull
Twitter / X: @MCFCinHull
Web: mc4c.co.uk