How Martin is sharing his love of the coast with his community
Martin Uren’s new business aims to bring together his love of the North East coastline with his passion for improving mental health and wellbeing. With help from The Business Factory, he’s well on his way to getting his idea off the ground. Martin tells us more…
Sports and adventures have been in my blood since I was a child.
One of my first memories was of being in the Land of Green Ginger and watching a man with a silent projector projecting images of surfers onto a white cloth hung on the wall. I was mesmerised and knew from that moment that I wanted to be part of North Tyneside’s deep connection with water.
I was a qualified sports diver at 14 and after travelling around Europe as a carefree teenager, took part in two Camp America programmes working with kids with disabilities in New Jersey.
Later in life I became a photographer and ran my own photography businesses. More recently, I’ve been working in the mental health arena – initially teaching people with mental health issues how to use photography as mindfulness.
Now, I’m aiming to bring these passions together by developing a jet ski safari company offering guided, quiet and mindful tours that take in the natural beauty and wildlife of the North East coastline.
I know the words jet ski and quiet might seem like a contradiction to some. Many people associate jet skis with petrol heads and white-knuckle rides but that’s quite the opposite of how we’re doing things. Our aim is to take things slowly so people get a chance to fully appreciate seeing our region’s stunning natural beauty from a different perspective. We’re lucky to live in one of the UK’s naturally beautiful locations and we’re committed to respecting conservation, nature and our community.
It’s an innovative idea. As far as we know, there’s nobody else out in the region offering anything similar.
Residents and tourists alike will be able to take an unforgettable ocean excursion alongside one of our expert tour guides. You can expect to view secluded beaches and remote coves as we well as witnessing sea life in its natural habitat – from otters and seals to whales and dolphins if you’re lucky!
Inclusivity and community are at the heart of the concept and they’re things that matter enormously to me.
We’ll offer a positive family experience at an affordable price. There will be tours for people with disabilities and our whole offer is designed to support mental wellness through engaging and accessible leisure activities. We’ll have heavily discounted events for schools, community groups and children with special educational needs. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can enjoy the thrill and joy of jet skiing. As part of our commitment to conservation, we’ll collect any visible washed-up plastic and waste too.
My idea really grew legs when I started discussing it with Andy Fenwick who is now a fellow director.
He has a background in arts, culture and communications and we knew each other through our shared passion for the coast and community and our work networks. We realised we could bring our skills together to do something really exciting and started putting a plan together for a Community Interest Company (CIC).
I was advised to talk to The Business Factory by a connection at the volunteering organisation VODA.
I needed advice on setting up a CIC and the support has been very helpful. In the first instance, they helped us to figure out the complexities of the wording involved with registering the business. We needed to review four or five times to get the wording just right so it was great to have that guidance to get us going.
Good things happen when you’re connected to others and that’s definitely the case when it comes to The Business Factory team.
Knowing that there is continued support available as we come across issues that we might not know the answer to is very reassuring. As is having someone that has your back and comes at things from an independent point of view. They’ve no agenda and just want the best for your business.
We’re at a pivotal point now with the business and things are really exciting.
We’re working on our proof of concept to secure funding to get the idea off the ground.
Before long, we’ll hopefully be in a position to let kids explore, enjoy and appreciate our magnificent coastline on the back of a jet ski. Our ultimate dream is to have an office selling tickets and merchandise at the fish quay so everyone can see and sign up to our unique experience.
Has Martin's story got you thinking?
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