Army friends set up new business

In this issue

Event: Where should business invest in 2019 to deliver strong returns?

Coming soon: Reigate and Banstead Business Awards

Developing resilience for work and life

Spreading festive cheer

New co-working space to launch in Redhill

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8 Jan 17.30-19.00 Banstead Business Guild Meeting, Cafe Italia, Banstead. Find out more.

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1 March 08.30-10.00 Is your business Disability Confident? Come along and hear the benefits of taking part in the Disability Confident Scheme. Town Hall, Reigate Book your space.

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11 Sept 19 – Learning Lunch How Artificial Intelligence in Finance can support your business – Esther Guy & Natasha Baker, A4C Group. Book your space now.

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Funding/Awards

Funding and awards

Reigate & Banstead Business Support Grant Do you have a business based in the borough with less than four employees? Are you looking to grow? Why not apply for our Business Support Grant of up to £1,000?

Successful business grant applicants will also receive one year's membership to Enterprise Nation

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Army friends set up new business
Mitchfield domestic cleaning, security and maintenance

The co-founders of the new Surrey cleaning and security firm first met 22 years ago as school boy army cadets in the Banstead force unit. Pete Mitchell and Chris Mansfield both went on to have successful careers as professional soldiers, Pete in the Royal
Green Jackets and Chris in the Royal Marines, but always remained friends. Now the pair have set up Mitchfield, a domestic cleaning, security and maintenance firm which has already won some important contracts.

Pete said: “We became friends when we were boys in the cadets, and both of us loved the army life so we went on to become members of the armed forces, although we never served together in the same battalion. “For some reason our leaves always coincided and we often dreamed about setting up our own security firm one day together. We had all the ideas but no clue how to actually do it. "After serving in the forces, both of us went on to work in security on some big contracts including Tiffany & Co, Transport for London (TfL), and Fidelity. I then moved to work with Blue Arrow the recruitment and training firm for ex-forces people.

"Earlier this year, we felt the time was right to get started. Both of have clocked up so much experience and lots of quality industry contacts, so we decided to bite the bullet and give it a go.” In the early stages, the friends turned to Reigate & Banstead Borough Council for help and advice on what they need to do to start a business and are full of praise for the help they received. Pete added: "The team helped us get a grant and a business plan together, even down to the insurance we required and the enhanced DBS checks we would need as residential cleaners, they were there every step of the way."

"We're already using our Enterprise Nation membership as we enter the next phase. To date we’ve been growing nice and organically through word of mouth. The next step is to up our game to take on bigger contracts. It's going well!"

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