Strathclyde student Jennifer McGregor has been awarded £10,000 by West Dunbartonshire Social Enterprise Challenge for her social business idea.
Jennifer (22) is studying Marketing and Business Law at Strathclyde Business School. She is also taking the Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Ventures course at the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship to help pursue her business idea.
As a Crohn's disease sufferer, Jennifer is keen to come up with a range of clothing aimed at those who may need specialised clothing to help keep them comfortable.
Up to now Jennifer has run a blog and Facebook page highlighting High Street clothes for young people which can accommodate medical apparatus such as stomas or colostomy bags or which might help those who wish to keep scars or burns covered and comfortable.
Jennifer now wants to take the idea forward and provide clothing suited to young people who want functional yet fashionable clothes.
"I have noticed a niche in the clothing market for clothing that is fashionable but that is functional for those who have a range of medical issues and need clothes to accommodate that. There's definitely a market for clothing for those who may have stomas or burns or scars or anything else they would feel uncomfortable with revealing which won't cause pain or be deemed as for older people."
Jennifer's business - Crohnie Clothing - will be an online range of clothing which will have the added benefit of raising funds for endoscopies which she hopes will help provide early diagnosis to some cancer sufferers.
Jennifer is pursuing her idea in memory of her brother Duncan who died from oesophageal cancer this year and who Jennifer believes might have had more of a chance if he had been referred for an endoscopy earlier. He too found normal clothing uncomfortable or unsuitable for his needs during his treatment.
Jennifer had to submit her business plans as part of the Social Enterprise Challenge and will now be meeting regularly with a mentor from West Dunbartonshire Council to progress her business.
"My next step is to buy clothes wholesale and get them customised with stretchy waistbands, bamboo cotton underlayers and so on. I plan to sell them online as soon as possible and hopefully at some point I will have enough capital to get the clothes designed from scratch.
"My designated contact at West Dunbartonshire Council will be giving me information from this point on but I've met some great contacts through Business Gateway and some of the panellists who selected me to win have given me great information on who to contact regarding different parts of my business. I'm really excited about the future and hopefully will be shipping Crohnie Clothing worldwide in the future!"
The Social Enterprise Challenge fund was launched by the Council, together with business development agency Firstport, in 2012 to help create local not-for-profit businesses that offered new employment opportunities.
The £10k Social Enterprise Challenge contribution will help Jen to purchase initial stock and materials, as well as fund the cost of a part-time seamstress to help with clothing alterations.
The successful applicants impressed a judging panel made up of Michael McGuinness, West Dunbartonshire Council's Economic Development Manager; Kirstie Penman, Awards Manager at business support organisation Firstport; and Selina Ross, Chief Officer at West Dunbartonshire Community and Volunteering Services, with their ideas and the social benefits they could bring to West Dunbartonshire.
They were also required to make the case for why they were applying for the funding and how the funding would help them develop the business.
Councillor Patrick McGlinchey, Convener of West Dunbartonshire Council's Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development Committee, said, "As a Council we are committed to improving economic growth and employability, and these innovative projects show promise for employment and development opportunities in the area.
"It is fantastic to see the third generation of Social Enterprise Challengers succeed in securing funding for their start-ups, meaning they can make their innovative ideas a reality."
Councillor David McBride, Vice-Convener of the committee, added, "In such tough economic times it is wonderful to see people still so determined to make a difference by starting a business.
"This year's Social Enterprise Challenge winners should be commended for their creativity and hard work, and I wish them the best of luck in establishing their respective businesses."