Businesses in Mid Wales are thriving with the support of Antur Cymru.

Start-ups and entrepreneurs have benefited from the organisation's guidance and advice, with several accessing transformative funding via the Powys Growth Grant.

Among them are Beyond Breakout escape rooms, Seren Handmade, and Keridwen Garden Design.

All three companies are owned by women who are working to support the regional economy.

Beyond Breakout was launched by friends Lorna Morris and Jo Woodall just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the UK in 2020.

The last five years have been "a rollercoaster ride," but their mobile escape rooms business is now thriving, working closely with schools and welcoming a wide range of customers for team building, stag and hen parties, and more.

Ms Morris said: "Antur Cymru has been a huge support, the grant we received enabled us to put together a new plan focused on growth, and we have received brilliant advice whenever we needed it on a range of issues, notably SEO.

"We decided to change direction and take the product out into the community – largely due to the pandemic - to make the business more sustainable for the future.

"The outdoor escape rooms and offer we have for schools have been well received, notably for Year 6 children transitioning to high school, and we are constantly developing ideas."

Ms Woodall added: "We built escape rooms for a previous employer and loved doing it, so to now have our own company and for it to be doing so well is fantastic.

"It’s been a rollercoaster ride, but we have a clear vision for the future, especially in the projects we have with education, feeding into the Welsh curriculum and adding a lot of value – it’s an exciting time."

 Crickhowell-based Keridwen Garden Design  (Image: Supplied)

The same can be said for Crickhowell-based Keridwen Garden Design, whose founder Kathleen Robinson capitalised on more than two decades of working in sustainable horticulture.

She left the office for the outdoors and called on the support of Antur Cymru to write a business plan and received a grant which helped her to buy equipment including a polytunnel, laptop, and design software.

Ms Robinson said: "I had spent so long telling people about the benefits of being outside in the garden and nature and the positive impact on health and wellbeing that I took the leap and decided to do it myself.

"With my knowledge of plants and wildlife I offer a unique service and despite only opening earlier this year I already have a waiting list, it’s been amazing."

She added: "Helping to build their confidence is another aspect to this, and my confidence as I had no prior experience of running a business.

"The support of Antur Cymru was invaluable, they were helpful in guiding me to write a business plan and look at financial forecasts, which was all new to me.

"That really restructured my thinking and helped me take this from a hobby to a livelihood."

Lauren Garbutt, owner of Seren Handmade bespoke personalised clothing and embroidery in Newtown, has experienced significant growth in 2024 which led to her buying new equipment, being nominated for the Sole Trader title at the Powys Business Awards, and moving to the Antur Cymru Trading Space at Bear Lanes Shopping Centre.

Ms Garbutt said: "I was contacted by business advisor Emma Jehu to discuss my venture and have received so much support ever since, from information regarding grants and advice to marketing techniques."

Emma Jehu said: "We are so happy to hear these stories, this is why we do what we do.

"Helping people take an idea or concept to reality and help them achieve their dreams is so heartening and has a knock-on effect for the economy in Mid Wales."