Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm establishes fund for young Cornish entrepreneurs

The Directors of Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm have set up a new fund with a donation of £50,000 to help budding young Cornish entrepreneurs develop their business ideas.  Managed for the business by Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF), the Healey family will be actively involved in grant making and supporting the young business people.

David Healey, Chairman, says, “We are delighted to set up The Healeys Entrepreneurs Fund to support Cornwall’s young business people of the future.  We are proud that we have developed our own business from small beginnings and we are passionate about supporting up-and-coming entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses.”

Kay and David Healey launched Healeys Cyder Farm in 1986. There was no water or electricity when they moved in and the 150 year old property was in a dreadful state.  Undeterred, they set about planting orchards and creating a visitor attraction that has since provided huge entertainment for millions of people in almost three decades.  Now a business managed by two generations of the family, Healeys have turned their fruit into world-beating drinks, jams and juices, built Cornwall’s first distillery in 300 years and produce England’s oldest whiskey.

The Healeys Entrepreneurs Fund will enable young people to change their lives through creative entrepreneurship.  This is especially important for Cornwall as Vital Signs research commissioned by CCF showed that the county is a hotbed for business and self-employment. There are 23,270 business enterprises in Cornwall and 2,665 new companies were started last year, more than in any previous year. Rates of self-employment are 50% higher than the UK average.