Ayrshire entrepreneur Ross McKinnon
wins Moffat Award for boosting tourism

By: Jen Nash

A CORPORATE EVENTS specialist from Ayrshire has won a prestigious award at the inaugural Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust / Moffat Charitable Trust Awards for Travel & Tourism, held in Glasgow.


[Pictured: Mr Jamie Moffat of the Moffat Charitable Trust, Ross McKinnon of Amazing Days Scotland and Mark Strudwick, chief executive of the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust. CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW / DOWNLOAD FULL-SIZE VERSION.]

Ross McKinnon from Kilmarnock and founder of Amazing Days Scotland, won the Moffat Award for excellent customer service as well as a £1,000 cash prize at an awards ceremony to recognise outstanding young businesses demonstrating best practice, excellent customer service and positive economic and community impact in the Scottish travel and tourism sector.

The Moffat Awards were unveiled by the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) in July last year, thanks to The Moffat Charitable Trust which has pledged almost £300,000 to support the Awards.

Ross McKinnon (27) launched his business with the help of a PSYBT loan in 2006 and specialises in offering unusual and memorable packages for corporate as well as private clients. These include experiencing Loch Lomond by speedboat, the Southern Highlands by seaplane and the Highlands by horseback.

Last year PSYBT supported over 80 tourism businesses offering goods and services that enhance the community and overall visitor experience of Scotland. Commenting, PSYBT chief executive Mark Strudwick said: “Today’s winners are shining examples of the large numbers of young entrepreneurs who are playing a leading role in creating outstanding visitor attractions and experiences in Scotland. It is thanks to The Moffat Charitable Trust that the contribution and positive community impact of young businesses such as those here today are being recognised.”

Speaking on behalf of The Moffat Charitable Trust, Mr Jamie Moffat said: “We are delighted to be supporting young people who have a passion for business, to play a leading role in enhancing tourism in Scotland. The judging was extremely difficult, but today’s finalists are very worthy winners.”

PSYBT was launched in January 1989 and is a national organisation with offices in 18 regions across Scotland. To date, 8,545 (10,118 proprietors) businesses have been assisted with £30.9m awarded - £27.5m in loans (89%) and £3.4m in grants (11%).

The Moffat Trust is named after one of Scotland’s best known names in the travel and tourism industry, Mr Jim Moffat, co-founder of AT Mays. Founded in Saltcoats in Ayrshire in the 1950s as All Travel by Mr Jim Moffat and his wife Margie Moffat, AT Mays grew to become the third largest travel group in the UK, eventually employing over 2,500 people.

www.amazingdays-scotland.com

www.psybt.org.uk

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Ayrshire businessman shortlisted for top award

AN AYRSHIRE-based businessman, whose expertise, mentoring and inspiration has helped many young entrepreneurs to sustain their new businesses, is one of four finalists in line for the coveted title of ‘Volunteer of the Year’ at the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) & The Royal Bank of Scotland Business Awards being held in Glasgow on 19 November 2007.


Local finalist Svend Kamming was selected from over 600 PSYBT aftercare advisers and panel members throughout Scotland.

Svend has been a PSYBT volunteer in Ayrshire for six years in the role as an aftercare adviser. With a background in retail, leisure and property, Sven draws on his wide experience to manage a wide portfolio of clients, providing advice and support. Svend thrives on seeing the businesses grow and has been proactive in promoting PSYBT’s Growth Fund programme which supports entrepreneurs who have been in business for at least one year and wish to expand, but are struggling to raise the necessary finance. A proactive ambassador for PSYBT, Svend has also been influential in attracting new volunteers both locally and nationally.

The PSYBT help young people aged 18-25 to start-up and continue in business. A PSYBT regional manager assists with everything from compiling a business plan to securing premises. Panel members then review the business plan and manage the loan/grant decision-making process. Once the business is up and running, an aftercare adviser is appointed, all of whom are experts in their fields. The panel members and the aftercare advisers work as volunteers for the organisation, with the sole aim of helping young entrepreneurs sustain their business and offering them crucial advice during the first two years in business.

PSYBT chief executive Mark Strudwick said: “Our regional finalists are committed volunteers and a source of inspiration to many would-be entrepreneurs. It is thanks to them, and our exceptional network of aftercare advisers and panel members that we are able to offer such a comprehensive service which extends long after the funding and initial support. These awards therefore are a celebration of all our volunteers outstanding efforts to help young people succeed in business.”

At the Awards ceremony the Charity will also reveal the ‘PSYBT & RBS Young Entrepreneur of the Year’, a coveted title and one that over 600 young PSYBT supported businesses were eligible for this year.

The other three finalists are Jai Adami from the Borders, Brian Pattinson from Dumfries & Galloway and Gordon Deuchars from Tayside.

www.psybt.org.uk

Ballantrae twins make tracks to success

OVER 15 years ago, two brothers from Ballantrae in Ayrshire began a local business removing roadside and railside obstructions for the local council after receiving a business loan and grant from the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust.


Picture shows: Danny and Billy McCulloch.

Today, the family-run business W & D McCulloch Rail Division has grown to employ over 40 people, and is recognised as the UK’s leading rail installers and providers of re-railing services.

Added to which, the brothers have just begun a brand new venture and opened a garden centre, Craigiemains Home and Garden Centre in Ballantrae, on land they purchased a few years ago.

Twin brothers Billy and Danny McCulloch (41) who live in Ballantrae, set up W & D McCulloch Rail Division after winning their first contract from First Engineering to remove scrap rail.

It was during this project that the two brothers saw a niche in the market for a machine that would greatly enhance the amount of rail that could be moved in one shift.

With this in mind, W & D McCulloch designed and built the Trac Rail Transposer, and it is now being used across the UK to make the re-railing process more cost-effective, quicker and inherently safer for crews working on the rail tracks.

The Trac Rail Transposer was put forward for the category of Innovation in Engineering and Information Technology at The Railway Forum/Modern Railways Innovation Awards in June earlier this year and came second out of 130 entries.

The company, which has recently won a new contract with First Engineering as part of a £350 million project to install two new additional tracks near Lichfield in Staffordshire, also provides services for rail maintenance companies up and down the UK including transposing rails, switches, crossings and sleepers, installing single line rails, the burning and recovery of scrap rails and the removal of scrap rail, concrete or wooden sleepers.

Engineering director Billy McCulloch comments: “When we first set up the business in 1992, we never imagined we’d have designed, built and patented our own piece of machinery - let alone be running a business with over 40 employees.

“It is never easy setting up your own business, and it takes an awful lot of hard work, but if you are prepared to put in the time and energy and to believe in yourselves, it is possible to build a successful and sustainable business.

“PSYBT helped us in the early stages of establishing our company and we appreciate the help this gave us in setting up the business.

“W&D McCulloch is still growing as a specialised rail services business and our aim is to continue to win new contracts and expand our services and our team further. It has also been a challenge starting up the garden centre in the last year or so, and we are pleased things are going so well with that, so much so that this summer we are already planning to extend its coffee shop.”

PSYBT chief executive Mark Strudwick said: “Billy and Danny’s business is a real success story. They have shown themselves to be true entrepreneurs by capitalising on the opportunities in front of them and taking their ideas and making them happen. They have obviously created a truly unique business and designed a highly successful product specifically for their marketplace. It is wonderful to hear that after many years in business they are still growing and expanding. We are delighted that we were able to help them at the very beginning of their business and continue to wish them success in the future.”