Deben Events, the organisers of vintage and modern markets in Woodbridge and Snape Maltings has launched a scheme to help young entrepreneurs in Suffolk get start-up businesses off the ground.

Deben Events’ ‘Young Entrepreneurs Suffolk’ (YES!) scheme offers a single free pitch at each of their future markets to one 16 to 24-year-old in Suffolk who has a business or is just starting out with a new creative venture.

Jac Cassidy of Deben Events, said, “Markets are great places to nurture new and small local businesses, and we particularly want to give a helping hand to any young entrepreneurs in Suffolk, so we’ve launched YES! to offer a free pitch at all of our future markets to one young start-up.”

19-year-old Conor McBride, who is studying at Newcastle University, was the first young business to take advantage of the scheme by bringing his business FIBRE. and his range of tie dye t-shirts to sell at the recent Woodbridge Vintage & Modern Market. He said, “Acquiring a pitch at Woodbridge Vintage and Modern Market is a great opportunity for smaller businesses like mine. Going from a small flat to a pop-up store in front of hundreds of potential customers is an amazing leap that wouldn’t have been achieved without the help of this market. It also gives me my first taste of retail exposure in front of the perfect target market because being an online business doesn’t allow for face-to-face retail.”

Sarah Hill of Deben Events, said, “With over a million 16-24 year olds out of work nationally it’s our contribution to help a young person to set out their pitch and see if Suffolk can produce the next Marks & Spencer, Innocent Smoothies or Vivien Westwood who all started out on markets.”

Young traders who are interested in finding out more about the scheme should be selling a product that fits in with the market’s other range of items, including vintage fashion, printed fabrics, ceramics, artworks and retro furniture. They should send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with some information about their business and explaining why they should have a free pitch or visit http://www.debenevents.com