Pulp Friction and Impact4Life CIC

In 2009 we supported mother and daughter duo Jill and Jessie to start Pulp Friction CIC , a Nottinghamshire enterprise which aimed to offer young disabled adults the opportunity to develop work-skills.

Shamala, Impact4Life Wellbeing CIC

It started out as a mobile smoothie bar venture – powered by bicycle! We loved the pair and their enterprise and told their story far and wide. 10 years on Pulp Friction has grown into something amazing. They now support over 60 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism along with their parents and carers. They run the canteen for the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and a café in the National Justice Museum, they host a choir and have plots on a community allotment.

At the end of 2019 in Birmingham, our local Catalyst Zoe met budding entrepreneur Shamala to explore her ideas. Shamala’s passion for health and wellbeing and her desire to help people gain skills for employment was closely aligned to the ethos behind Pulp Friction. So, after we brokered a quick introduction, Shamala made a visit to Jill and the Pulp Friction team. Since then Jill has been fantastic in supporting Shamala to get her enterprise off the ground – even to the extent of lending one of their smoothie bikes, enabling Shamala to hit the ground pedalling! Shamala has now founded Impact4Life Wellbeing CIC – and Jill is on the Board of Directors. Shamala will shortly become a Director for Pulp Friction too. A fantastic example of collaboration and mutual support which will help these two enterprises to do more great stuff in the Midlands.

The help from Community Catalysts and the connection with Jill has been so valuable and given me great insight and confidence to start up in Birmingham. Seeing them do their thing so well has really inspired me to give it a go!

Shamala Antonio, Impact4Life Wellbeing CIC