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THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR COUPLE HARNESSING THE SUN

A husband and wife team, who started their business from scratch, are on target to achieve a turnover of a million pounds in just their second year.

It is not just good news for them.  As their business has grown they have provided jobs for eight local people and confidently predict there will be more. 

Equipment supplied and fitted by the Solar Energy Centre enables homes and businesses to have all their hot water needs provided by sun power.  

The company believes there are two key factors which will see demand for their services grow: businesses and homeowners are looking to cut their energy bills and the government wants us all to dramatically increase the amount of energy we get from renewable sources.

Aileen Pollard, who started the company with her husband David, said: “The opportunities are amazing for us.  The phone never stops ringing.”  David worked as a plumber and Aileen was the reception manager at Wansbeck Hospital’s accident and emergency department.  She said: “I took a six-month sabbatical to set up the systems for the business and haven’t gone back. When it’s your own it’s hard to hand over the reigns to somebody else.”

Go Wansbeck has been closely involved in the company’s development.  It provided a grant to help it get started, a loan to help it grow and is now talking with Aileen and David about a business development grant to help the Solar Energy Centre expand even further. 

Go Wansbeck programme manager Keith Raine said: “This company is a perfect example of how people with the appropriate skills and an understanding of what is happening in their business sector can make a success.”

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