Latest news with #ThePrince'sTrust
The Courier
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
How Fife wholesale boss went from £3k Prince's Trust loan to £45m turnover
Dunfermline businessman Joe Wall always knew he wanted to be his own boss. The son of a respected Highland vet and GP, he turned down a place at university to start his own wholesale business at just 19. With no industry experience and a £3,000 loan from The Prince's Trust, he leased a second-hand van and a small lock-up and The Cress Company was born. More than two decades on, the award-winning firm has an annual turnover of £45 million and 216 staff. The fine food distributor supplies delis, cafés, farm shops, garden centres, butchers, fishmongers, bars and hotels across the UK. In 2004, Joe worked with just a handful of Scottish food manufacturers but the business now boasts hundreds of big-name brands, including Yeo Valley, Border's Biscuits, Fever-Tree and Pipers Crisps. And in 2023, Cress Co – as it is better known – secured its first ever acquisition, taking over fellow Fife wholesalers Adamsons Drinks. Despite his incredible success, managing director and founder Joe is keen to be seen as 'one of the team'. The unassuming 41-year-old takes his turn with the on-call mobile phone and planning the delivery rota and tries to be at the Cress Co Pitreavie Business Park HQ most days. Joe jokes that his 15-year-old border terrier Dougal, who he brings to the office, is the 'real boss' – and more likely to abuse his position to get senior staff to take him for a walk. 'I'm very much at my happiest mucking in and getting things done,' Joe admits. 'I started out as a one-man show, doing all the jobs myself. 'I learned the importance of hard work at a young age watching my parents, who didn't work nine to five. 'People would turn up at our house in the evenings with animals in need and my dad would treat them then and there in the kitchen. 'It's important as a business owner to know what is going on day-to-day – and the only way to do that is by being there.' He added: 'I'm sure some of the team think I'm a bit of a control freak but I love what I do and see myself as just one of the team. 'I'm at my most comfortable at work and it means more to me than anything else.' Growing up near the small village of Bonar Bridge in Sutherland, Joe was the second youngest of six children. His busy childhood home and assertive older siblings, he concedes, could be one of the reasons he was keen to go it alone from an early age. Suffering a period of ill health while at secondary school, which led to him spending a significant chunk of time away from his classes, also influenced his decision. However, convincing his academic parents that he could make it in life without a degree wasn't easy. He continued: 'I did quite well at school and had a place at university to study business and economics but I decided not to take it. 'There was no point in wasting time. I knew I wanted to work for myself and have my own business. 'I was always relatively ambitious, willing to take a risk and wanted to stand and fall by my own decisions. 'When you are young you just go for it. I didn't really worry about what I would do if it failed. 'Initially, I fancied getting into food manufacturing but the overheads were higher. 'I saw a gap in the market in food distribution and realised I could do it on a fairly low budget and build it up incrementally. 'My mum would have preferred I go to university first but I cut a deal with her to give it a year. 'It helped I was the second youngest of six kids so my parents had relaxed a bit!' On top of the £3,000 from The Prince's Trust, Joe got 'a little extra' cash from his family and moved 150 miles down the A9 to Perth, which he thought would be a 'good central location'. 'I got a second-hand van on finance and a rental on a small unit and then bought a bit of stock,' he recalls. 'I worked with five brands to start with but after I did my deliveries I would visit other companies in the area and tout for business. 'It was hard work and I was on the breadline for the first year or so but it paid off and the company slowly grew.' After five years in Perth, Cress Co moved to Dunfermline, where warehouse space was cheaper and the labour pool larger. Joe credits the 'farm shop boom' of the mid-2000s – fuelled by EU diversification grants – with helping increase his customer base. Cress Co supplies many of Scotland's top farm shops, including Gloagburn in Tibbermore, and Loch Leven's Larder outside Kinross. As the business grew, Cress Co made the bold decision to open additional depots south of the border in a bid to widen its distribution area. It now has sites in Milton Keynes, Maltby, Telford and Bristol. Telford is the base for all chilled goods. Moving into England was a gamble, Joe admits, and made for some stressful weeks and months. Competition – and fuel costs – increased, but it paid off. With more depots, the customer-base swelled and since 2019, revenue has jumped fourfold from around £11m to around £45m. In 2023, months after being first approached, Cress Co acquired Fife-based Adamsons Drinks, a leading supplier of soft drinks, snacks and confectionary. It opened up a new market for Cress Co, and Joe and his team hope to widen the Adamsons customer base. Joe now hopes to continue to grow and has his sites set on further acquisitions as well as growing the logistics arm of the business. Cress Co was recently named Associate of the Year 2025 at the Farm Retail Association (FRA) Awards. The accolade is particularly special for Cress Co as it is judged by farm shop retailers – the very businesses the company supports every day. Customer relationships have always been of huge importance to Joe – and it is why he thinks he has been successful. 'If people trust you and can pick up the phone to you, they will continue to work with you – even if costs rise,' he explained. 'Wholesaling is an old-fashioned business model, the crux of what we do is buying and selling. 'There are a lot of moving parts but if you look after the brands you buy from and the customers you sell to, are efficient and the goods arrive in good condition, it will be ok.' On paper, he is a millionaire, but becoming wealthy was never Joe's goal. 'I'm so busy week to week I don't really have a lot of time to look back and say, 'gosh, look how far I have come',' he admits. 'When you are in the thick of it you don't notice the growth as much. 'Yes, I could get the bank to write me a big check and spend it but I have no plans to do that. A lot of it goes back into the business and it's a business I hope to have for years to come.'
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Charles III's Charity the King's Trust Is Making Its Mark in the US
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. There was emotion in the room at the King's Trust gala in New York City when Darnell Allman-Smith became overwhelmed on stage as he told of the assistance he received from the charity. The 26 year old had struggled to find work due to a five-year gap in his resume, time he had spent as a full-time carer for his mother, who had become seriously unwell. Guests were told he was a tough kid from a tough part of London who had not been meant to amount to anything. He also bore the grief of the sudden, unexpected death of his older brother. King Charles III (centre) with Idris Elba (centre left) and young people attend an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity, at St James's Palace on July 12, 2024 in London, England. The... King Charles III (centre) with Idris Elba (centre left) and young people attend an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity, at St James's Palace on July 12, 2024 in London, England. The King and Mr Elba, an alumnus of The King's Trust (formerly known as The Prince's Trust), are meeting about the charity's ongoing work to support young people, and creating positive opportunities and initiatives which might help address youth violence in the UK, as well as the collaboration in Sierra Leone between the Prince's Trust International and the Elba Hope Foundation. More Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Help came when he had the opportunity to join a Making it in Media course through the King's Trust, and he had a deeply profound reason for signing up. "At first I thought it wasn't for me," he said, "but something did light up. I wondered if I should give it a go. My confidence was really extremely low, I would go as far as to say nonexistent. But the moment I realized I should at least try was when I saw my niece, my brother's daughter, since the day he died and..." Allman-Smith bowed his head but, despite the crowd clapping and cheering him on, he could not finish his sentence. It was just one of the many moving stories told to guests including Lionel Richie, Charlotte Tilbury and Heidi Klum at the gala to help King Charles III's biggest charity raise $2.5 million in aid of young people all over the world. Newsweek joined English makeup entrepreneur Tilbury in sponsoring the event at Casa Cipriani, in Downtown Manhattan, on May 1. And she was glowing with praise about the impact the king has made, saying of him: "I think, is everyone just obsessed with him? We're all just obsessed with him, he's amazing. "He really is a visionary of our time, he really is. If you think about what he understood about global warming, what he understood about this trust alone, what he's done to really help not just the U.K. economy but economies all around the world. And empowered people and changed people's lives. Some of the stories here tonight are incredible." The trust has been Charles' flagship charity since he created it in 1976, and it initially had more of a U.K. focus. In 2015 the project went global, with King's Trust International a key milestone for the organization. Sir Clive Alderton, Charles' private secretary and most senior aide, told Newsweek that America was a crucial audience. "It's immensely important," he said. "The king has started the King's Trust programs in so many countries around the world where either he has a particular connection, where perhaps he might be king of that country—Australia, Canada, New Zealand all of these different realms—but also countries for which he has a particular affection or a particular connection. "That's where the United States comes in. He's been to the United States many times in the past and so when the idea came forward that the King's Trust start here, he was delighted. And so we've been hearing all the extraordinary programs they've put together." Sophie Morris, team leader at City Year New York, told Newsweek that her organization delivers a King's Trust program at East Harlem's P.S. 171 Patrick Henry Preparatory school, teaching disadvantaged children how to go into business. "It's eight weeks where you take the group of middle school children through the basics of business, learning about entrepreneurship, profit, revenue, learning those hard skills but also soft skills," she said. "These kids signed up and they were a little bit shy at first, but this last Friday we took them to a competition where they got to present their own business, a skin care kit. A lot of them have eczema so they wanted to create a kit for sensitive skin." Handout of Darnell Allman-Smith, supplied by The King's Trust Handout of Darnell Allman-Smith, supplied by The King's Trust The King's Trust "There are a lot of kids living in the shelters, in and out of housing, just very volatile childhoods," Morris added. Pioneering U.K. fashion designer Ozwald Boateng built his career in part using a grant from the organization, known at the time as the Prince's Trust, before Charles became king after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022. Boateng played a major role in this year's Met Gala, on May 5, not only by dressing other stars but also as a guest, dazzling in a bright white suit and cape for that event. "I was a it was the ," he told Newsweek. "I think I was about 17 when I applied for the grant and I got it. It had obviously a big impact. "As a young man deciding that design was going to be a place of my future, to get that support at an early age was of course huge. "At the time it allowed me to buy machinery, like a sewing God, it's such a long time ago, we're talking 40-plus years ago." Commodores singer Richie explained why he had helped the charity for decades: "A million kids. I've been doing this since the 80s so I've been involved and what I'm loving the most is that we're winning. "Self-esteem, satisfying people's dreams who had no dreams at all, really no way of even trying to figure out what it's all about. "So, being involved in this is so rewarding because I can give back, and not only do I, but everyone involved [gives back]. You know, these are major corporations coming to the table and if it's not the money, it's the mentorship." Fellow fashion designer Georgina Chapman added: "I just think the work that's done is absolutely incredible and all the lives that it's touched. Listening to some of the stories of people that have really risen, I think we're going to hear some tonight and I'm very excited." Other guests from the fashion industry included model agent and activist Bethann Hardison, model Helena Christensen and former British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful. The evening featured live music by Nile Rodgers, disco icon with band Chic and also producer of major hits by Madonna including her album Like a Virgin and song "Material Girl." He got the crowd dancing with a live performance of his own classics, like "Le Freak," as well as other pop songs. Rodgers also struck a philosophical tone about the current state of America when speaking to Newsweek on the red carpet. "You know, America is so strange right now," he said. "It's hard for me to tell if there's love for anyone, which is bizarre because I'm usually the most optimistic person in the world." But the moving success stories told by the many people who have benefited from the King's Trust's help did much to keep the mood joyous and celebratory. As for London lad Allman-Smith, he did sign up to that Making it in Media course and is now working as a production runner for the BBC. "Once the program finished, I was offered a job on a TV program," he said, listing the numerous U.K. shows he had worked on, including Strictly Come Dancing, Britain's version of Dancing with the Stars, adding: "I have no intention of stopping there."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lionel Richie Says King Charles' 'Sense of Humor' Shines Behind the Scenes: 'You Have No Idea' (Exclusive)
Lionel Richie exclusively tells PEOPLE that King Charles' "sense of humor" is a highlight of their friendship The judge has been involved with The King's Trust (originally launched as The Prince's Trust) since around 1985, providing youth with the tools they need to thrive Richie says that the King is a "wonderful person who cares so much about people" Lionel Richie is revealing what King Charles is like "as a friend." Richie, 75, exclusively spoke to PEOPLE at The King's Trust 4th Annual Global Gala at Casa Cipriani in New York City on May 1, opening up about their relationship. "People see him as a King, but what is he like as a friend? I will say a sense of humor — you have no idea," the American Idol judge, who co-hosted the evening, tells PEOPLE. "He's a wonderful, wonderful person who cares so much about people. He has a lot of ideas about what needs to change, what needs to be about the world. You probably won't hear it all coming out of his mouth because of the way the world is and what he has to stay quiet on, but he's a wonderful person, very funny," Richie says. "And over the years, I hope you're kind of getting to where you all will know that sense of humor a lot, like I understand it." Related: King Charles' Longstanding Charity Gets Upgrade to Be 'Relevant' for TikTok Generation The "All Night Long" singer attended the gala with his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi, and has been involved with The King's Trust for over 15 years. The organization works to provide young people with jobs, education and training, and it offers programming in over 20 countries worldwide. King Charles launched the organization as The Prince's Trust in 1976 when he was the Prince of Wales, and the trust has helped over one million young people to date. Richie teamed up with the charity around 1985 and has championed the cause since, becoming the First Global Ambassador and First Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince's Trust in 2019. King Charles acceded to the throne in September 2022, and the organization was officially rebranded as The King's Trust in October 2024, reflecting his new royal title. Richie was a guest at the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey in May 2023 and performed at the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle the following day. The starry concert was also headlined by Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli and British pop group Take That, with the performance attended by the newly crowned King and Queen, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and many more royal family members. Related: Lionel Richie Says It's an 'Honor' to Perform at 'Wonderful' King Charles' Coronation (Exclusive) Reflecting to PEOPLE at the King's Trust Global Gala, Richie says that his commitment to uplifting the next generation is what keeps him involved. "We've taken care of one million kids and their dreams and their hopes and their desires to be something in the world that they didn't think was possible," the music legend says. "What I love to do is take kids that don't think so and make them believers in themselves and not only is it just me, but it's a bunch of mentors and wonderful people who are here tonight and around the world they show up for these kids because we have to give back, it's just as simple as that." "God has been good to all of us, but at the same time there are a group of people and a group of kids who need some encouragement and so King Charles started it off and my job and Edward's job and all of us is to carry it on and so I'm here because of the kids," Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Richie and Enninful co-hosted the fourth annual King's Trust Global Gala in N.Y.C., continuing a tradition from last year. Like Richie, the former British Vogue editor is also a Global Ambassador for the King's Trust. The two posed for photos on the carpet at the event together with Charlotte Tilbury, whose namesake makeup label is a charitable partner of King Charles' charity. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Run don't walk: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is selling her wardrobe on Vestiaire Collective
There's no denying that celebrity closet sales are having a moment, and the latest to join the line-up is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Partnering with luxury resale platform Vestiaire Collective, the sale will feature over 40 carefully selected pieces from the model and actress's personal wardrobe. And the best part? Net proceeds will go directly to The King's Trust UK (formerly The Prince's Trust), a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds build confidence and develop essential skills to succeed in life, education, and employment. "I'm excited to partner with Vestiaire Collective on this initiative to support The King's Trust UK. Vestiaire Collective is the leading platform for circular fashion, making it the perfect place to give these pieces a second life in a way that's both stylish and sustainable," shares Huntington-Whiteley. "Fashion has always been a meaningful part of my career, and I love that this collaboration allows me to extend that impact while contributing to a cause that helps young people build their futures." We've had a peek at what she's selling, and the items don't disappoint. Sculptural Khaite knits, sharp tailoring from Celine, and timeless staples from Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana will all go on sale this Friday May 2nd at 5pm BST. Just an FYI if your name is Rosie — there's a personalised Edie Parker clutch bag up for grabs too. Vestiaire Collective has previously partnered with the likes of Paris Hilton, Jessica Chastain, Laura Dern and Chloe Fineman on exclusive closet sales, encouraging their communities to leverage the benefits of resale and sustainability. "This initiative aligns with our commitment to disrupt traditional fashion consumption habits. Through high-impact partnerships with individuals who share our values, we aim to inspire a global movement towards responsible luxury shopping," says co-founder and president of Vestiaire Collective, Fanny Moizant. Set your reminders now, and shop here. You Might Also Like A ranking of the very best hair straighteners - according to our Beauty Editors Best party dresses to shop in the UK right now 11 products you'd be mad to miss from the Net A Porter beauty sale
