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Grant for new business

An Andover counsellor is awarded £500

Test Valley Borough Council has presented a £500 Business Incentive Grant to Rhonda Cleary to reward her hard work setting up a new counselling service for adults and young people.

Rhonda is a trained counsellor in a number of disciplines and has previously worked as a residential support worker and a learning support worker. With her Diploma in Higher Education in counselling complete, Rhonda launched her new business in December 2015. The company specialises in humanistic counselling, a type of support which focuses on the present moment, and gestalt counselling, which takes a holistic approach of the mind, body and spirit.

Rhonda said: “I’d like to thank Test Valley Borough Council for the Business Incentive Grant and for supporting me to launch my business. I feel privileged and humbled to be providing a new counselling service in Andover and I am looking forward to working with clients in supporting them to re-discover their authentic selves."

Ward member for Charlton, Councillor Ian Carr, presented the cheque to Rhonda at her home in Charlton, which is where she operates her business from. He said: “Rhonda’s new business provides a unique, tailored service which many people will benefit from. I’d like to congratulate her on all the hard work she has put into launching the company and wish her the best of luck for the future.”

The Council’s Business Incentive Grants are available to anyone looking to set up their own business in Test Valley. Anyone who applies after 1 April 2016 will receive a grant of £750 if their business is still going strong six months after their application has been approved.

For more information about the Council’s Business Incentive Grants, please click here.