10th December 2010
Wales YFC NatWest Cymru Enterprise Scheme were announced at an award ceremony at the NFU Building.
The scheme, run by Wales YFC is sponsored by NatWest Cymru awards Wales YFC members who have established successful business and past entrants state that the competition is an excellent way of boosting businesses, through advice received during the entry process and the publicity following the results.
The winner of this prestigious award in 2010 was Bleddyn Beck a member of Neath YFC, Glamorgan and he was awarded with £800 to further promote his business, Beckbred Pigs. The business owns the Panorama Herd of Large Whites and Welsh pigs and both herds are well known throughout the UK with the Large White herd the most premier herd in Wales. The business also sells Pedigree terminal Large White pigs and Pedigree maternal Welsh pigs into the commercial pig industry as live pigs. Beckbred Pigs fulfils the needs of its customers of wanting Pedigree pigs in the commercial sector. The demand for such pigs is high as there are little and few hers offering such products. The company strives to improve the pigs by selecting the highest and best performing genetics to create excellent stock for the commercial market. All of the pigs performances are recorded by having access to a BULB system. Earlier this year Bleddyn was picked by the BPA youth working group to travel to America to the World Pork Expo to compete at the USA stock juging competition, where in the under 21 category he was placed in the top 20 out of 125 entries from across the world. While in America, he represented the UK on the export stand where there was a great interest in the business maternal products.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Andy Woodthorpe, NatWest Director Rural Wales Banking, said: “Judging this year was as challenging as any other year, however we came to the decision that Bleddyn Beck had shown the greatest entrepreneurial flair establishing his business and deserved the first prize.”
Lowri Roberts a past member of Dyffryn Tanat YFC in Montgomery earned the second prize of £500 with her business Siop Cwlwm. The shop trades online (www.siopcwlwm.co.uk) and at Oswestry indoor market on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays which are market days in the town. The shops location just over the border in England is important as the area has succeeded to maintain it’s Welsh identity and Oswestry is also the market town for many inhabitants of mind and north east Wales. The primary aims of the business is to promote the Welsh language and culture by providing Welsh products for the areas bilingual inhabitants and raise awareness of the language and culture amongst the non-bilingual inhabitants. The shop sells ‘traditional’ products of a Welsh shop, including books, CD’s, greetings cards and gifts. They also have the facilities to personalise many of the items which is popular. As well as selling resources for Welsh learners they also hold prospectuses for local collages which provide Welsh lessons for adults.
Third prize of £300 was awarded to Kayleigh Rees of Talgarth YFC, Brecknock. Kayleigh has recently established her Designs 4 Ewe company which provides a one stop shop for all printing and embroidery solutions for businesses, schools, clubs and individuals. 
The company has facilities to print or embroider on a wide range of items and also provides a bilingual service to customers in the form of the website, catalogues and other promotional material in both English and Welsh as well as offering an extensive product selection with a variety of Fair Trade products on offer.
Rhys Evans, Wales YFC Rural Affairs committee Chairman, also part of the judging panel said, “All of the applicants we interviewed were outstanding. This is a fantastic scheme for young people living in rural Wales to gain advice on their businesses from a panel of experts. Wales YFC gave those who entered the unique chance in presenting their businesses to a panel of experts who are willing to sit down with them and give them individual advice on their business and help with financial and marketing advice. We are very grateful to Julie Masters, Welsh Assembly Government, Alun Jones, Menter a Busnes and Andy Woodthorpe for the advice and support that they gave our members. All applicants also received a £100 towards their businesses thanks to the kind sponsorship from NatWest. I wish all the candidates luck with their businesses and hope they go from strength to strength” explained Rhys Evans, Wales YFC rural affairs committee chairman.
