THE latest entry in our increasingly popular Business Idol competition is Katie George, of Bewdley, with Bobbins, a sewing school for children. “I enjoy teaching youngsters and wanted to branch out with something really creative,” she says. “There is a big need for this sort of class and a wide range of children interested in making their own clothes.”

Bobbins opened in January and is a skill-based programme teaching children from seven to 16 to sew. Computerised sewing machines are provided for each child. They work through a series of projects, starting with a bright fleece cushion and go on to make pencil cases, kit bags, hats and clothes.

The one-hour classes run after school and on Saturday mornings in Bewdley, Sytchampton and Worcester. The pupils receive individual tuition in small classes of four and finish projects at their own pace.

A special folder of practice pages make stitching fun and full instructions are included so that items can be made again at home.

Katie helps children build their skills with the sewing machines using different stitches, through to the use of patterns to make their own clothes She makes sure there are lots of exciting fabrics available and advanced items, including sun tops and mobile phone covers, can be personalised with appliqué, decorative stitching and even with their names.

If Katie won Business Idol, she says she would use the £1,000 prize money to advertise widely and increase the number of classes on offer.

In the future she would like to franchise the business.

She has plans for summer schools in August and will be offering short courses for adults to make a beautiful cushion with quilting, piping, buttonholing and zip.

ROOM FOR MORE Business Idol is being run by the Kidderminster-based Big Breakfast Club in association with The Shuttle.

The first Idol competition, staged last year, was such a success that this year it has been extended to include the Stourbridge area, with reports appearing in our sister paper, the Stourbridge News.

Entrants will also have the benefit of being mentioned on the two newspapers’ respective websites.

As well as the chance to win the cash, the winner will receive a year’s free membership of the Breakfast Club and be offered business advice reckoned to be worth over £2,500. Runners-up at a grand final to be held in the summer will receive three months’ membership.

The club are a group of business men and women who meet at 7am every Tuesday at La Brasserie, Kidderminster, to swap ideas, contacts and contracts, while enjoying a good breakfast.

There are no joining fees, no paid staff and they find that their relaxed approach works better than many larger and more anonymous breakfast clubs. If you are interested in joining, call David Chill, on 01905 776730.