Despite the tough economic climate, a young businessman from Evesham is expanding his glass and glazing operation, while also supporting a local charity and helping young people into employment.

Dane Moss, who founded Evesham Glass & Glazing in 2010 at the age of just 20, has seen demand for his young business grow so much that he recently needed to acquire more office space and recruit more staff.

Built on the back of word-of-mouth recommendations from local customers, Dane was keen to share the success of his growing business with the local community. This involved a generous donation to a local charity and the offer of valuable work experience to a local jobseeker.

To secure the additional office space he needed at his High Street premises, Dane offered his co-tenants (the UK charity, Action on Pre-eclampsia (APEC)) a charitable donation to help them relocate. This enabled Evesham Glass to expand operations within the same building, while also supporting the cause of a local charity. “It made perfect sense for both of us,” says Dane “the donation enabled APEC to move into more suitable premises for them, while freeing up the space we needed in the building to help us grow.”

The next challenge was recruitment. In addition to his core team of staff, Dane wanted to take on someone new to learn the trade. Having gone into business alone at the height of the recession, he was all too aware of the challenges faced by young people looking for work – so he put the call out for a work experience placement.

With help from Job Centre Plus on Abbey Road, a new 20-year-old fitter, Luke Nightingale, was soon on board learning valuable skills for the window, door and conservatory trade. Dane has been so impressed with Luke’s enthusiasm that a full-time paid position was offered and excepted after 8 weeks work experience.

“It wasn’t so long ago that I was in Luke’s position. Having left school without decent grades, my job prospects weren’t great. But hard work and a positive attitude can get you a long way. I can see those attributes in Luke – and we’re really pleased to be able to give him this opportunity.”

In just under five years, Evesham Glass & Glazing has grown from a one-man operation out of the back of Dane’s van – which he funded via a small government start-up grant – to a successful and respected local business. Along with the recent office expansion, he is also in the process of adding a new showroom and trade centre, both of which will be opening in January. The secret of Dane’s success? “There’s no secret. It’s just a combination of hard work and dedication. I’ve had some setbacks along the way, but it’s amazing what you can achieve with the right attitude.”

Evesham Glass & Glazing is based at 105 High Street, Evesham offering a range of services from full conservatory builds to replacement double glazing to PVC rooflines, all backed by a 10-year guarantee.

Action on Pre-eclampsia is a UK-registered charity that aims to raise awareness and improve the care of pre-eclampsia – otherwise known as hypertension or high blood pressure – which complicates 10% of first-time pregnancies.