For this month’s Feature of the Month, I’ve chosen to cover my own support to the South Ayrshire schools, as not only is Sarah’s Creative Occasions going to visit a local primary school to educate the children on planning weddings, I ‚  was recently given the opportunity to share my experiences at a local Business Challenge ‚  organised by the Ayrshire ‚  Chamber of Commerce, South Ayrshire ‚  Council and NATS ‚  Prestwick.

Last Wednesday at the NATS air traffic control centre in Prestwick, 6 high schools within South Ayrshire (who brought around ‚  120 5th and 6th year pupils) ‚  participated in ‚  the Business Challenge day. ‚   ‚  The day commenced with 5 guest ‚  speakers from local businesses:

• Business Gateway
• DC7 Vending Ltd
• NATS Prestwick
• Sarah’s Creative Occasions
• Buzzworks

talking to the students and teachers about how to finance ‚  new ‚  businesses, what resources exist to businesses in Ayrshire, the risks and rewards of business, what experience you should have when venturing out on your own and marketing strategies.

The ‚  pupils ‚  were then split into their 22 teams, ‚  and each team had been given an ‚  identical set of items and craft materials to build themselves ‚  a prototype product, ‚  which they then had to market ‚  to the Dragon’s Den, ‚  with the aim of persuading them to finance their business. ‚   I escorted a couple of the teams, from Belmont Academy, around for the day, from when they arrived on-site, getting them to the Dragon’s Den on time, and to them ‚  heading back home on their buses. ‚   There were 3 winning teams, but the school who won the prime award and prize, were Queen Margaret College, well done!

A thank you to all of those who particpated in the day, ‚  the opportunity ‚  for ‚  Sarah’s Creative Occasions to speak at the event and most of all to the students ‚  for such an enjoyable day.

Looking ahead over the next couple of months, I’m sure you will all be busy Christmas shopping and enjoying the festive celebrations, but if you or a friend have a Wedding approaching in the New Year, then don’t forget to add ‚  a few of these dates into your diary:

• Sunday 18th January 12noon to 4pm at the Burnhouse Manor in Beith
• Ayrshire Wedding Show on 31st January & 1st February 10am to 5pm ‚  at the Ayr Racecourse
• 8th February 1 to 4 pm ‚  at the Horizon Hotel in Ayr
• 14th & 15th February 1030am to 430pm at the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall in Glasgow
• Scottish Wedding Show on 21st & 22nd February 10am to 6pm at the SECC in Glasow

If you were born between ‚  November 23rd and December 21st ‚  you will be a Saggitarius, symbolised by The Archer. ‚   Saggitarius is the ninth astrological sign of the Zodiac. ‚   Sagittarius is classed as a positive or masculine, extrovert sign, and ‚  its element is fire. ‚   A ‚  Saggitarius ‚  has a mutable quality, which means ‚  the sign coincides with the change in seasons, and as a result individuals are thought to be more adaptable and ‚  impressionable, with a gift to seeing both sides of a situation.

The general personality traits of a typical Saggitarius are:

• Witty
• Moral
• Versatile
• Independent
• Temperamental
• Indiscreet
• Impatient

Real Media Publishing is launching a new community magazine for Ayr, titled FreshAYR. ‚   FreshAyr will be available in the local shops, and will be distributed to a selection of homes in both Ayr and Troon. ‚   The magazine will include:

• Local news & events
• Variety of local business adverts
• Recipes
• Old community tales
• Games & puzzles for children (and adults too!)
• Competitions
• Announcements

The first edition will be available from Monday 1st December, and Sarahs’ Creative Occasions will be advertised within.

On Sunday 23rd November the annual event of Wintertainment will take place ‚  in Troon. ‚   Being the 10th Anniversary, this year the event is being ‚  called WinterTENment!

It’s a full and fun packed afternoon of festivities including:

• traditional parade
• fancy dress
• switching on of the ‚  Christmas lights
• lighting of the Beacon

For a full listing of activities and timings, please refer to Troon Online.

As mentioned earlier in the month, the Ayrshire Association of Business Women (aabw) now has a new look to their website and also their logo.

The modernised website now includes:

• a member’s gallery
• a news blog
• functionality to book your place at any of the monthly meetings on-line

I have been a member of the aabw since May 2008, and as well as finding it enjoyable to mix with the ladies and learn from the guest speakers each month, it’s invaluable to me as I grow my business by developing strong contacts and picking up tips from those who have been there before.