Two women who met at Coventry University have taken advantage of a free business advice service in the city to launch a theatre and performance company.

Kelly Higgs and Lottie Carter who completed their degrees in theatre and professional practice last summer have set up Lost Property Performance Co thanks to help from the Regional Women’s Enterprise Unit.

Kelly, aged 28, who lives in Albany Road, Earlsdon, and Lottie, aged 22, who lives in Gordon Street, Earlsdon, started trading in November and have already completed work for the Coventry Transport Museum and CV One.

“We worked really well together on our final project at university and decided to take it forward because it is something we both want to do,” Kelly said.

“We are aiming to work with different community groups in Coventry and Warwickshire like the WEET Centre (Willenhall Education, Employment and Training Centre) and trying to get people involved in multi-media arts which may not be something they have done in the past.

“In December we worked with the Coventry Transport Museum putting on Shadow Puppetry shows. They created a winter wonderland on the way to see Father Christmas and we put together a show using shadow puppets, projectors and film as children walked through to see Santa.

“We also worked with theatre group Non-Descript and CV One to entertain Christmas shoppers in Coventry city centre in a ‘Make a Christmas Wish’ tunnel on a stage in Broadgate.

“Lost Property Performance Co has really taken off and we are getting plenty of work considering we have only been up and running since the middle of November.”

Kelly is also working part-time in the administration department at Coventry University where Lottie is a receptionist.

“At the moment we are working on our business two days a week and at weekends because it is hard to get funding,” she added.

“The Regional Women’s Enterprise Unit has been great. We were given our own business adviser because we know plenty about the arts but not about tax or setting ourselves up in partnership since we don’t have any experience of running a business.

“We were given support every step of the way and the help from the RWEU has ensured our business has been established on a sound footing.”

Minal Sodha, from the RWEU, said the organisation, which is based at the Coventry University Technology Park in Puma Way, runs free courses which are useful to women setting up their own business.

“It doesn’t matter how much or how little knowledge women have of running a business because we provide support and advice from the planning stage to when it launches and once it is established,” she said.

“Kelly and Lottie have bags of enthusiasm and talent and we showed them how to register at Companies House as well as giving them advice about their accounts.

“They are being extremely sensible by working part-time and then devoting the rest of their time to their business while they become established and I am sure they will go from strength to strength.”