STEP E-newsletter - March 2004

Juggling Jobs

Stirling entrepreneur, Steve Thomson, is literally juggling his way to the top after setting up a number of small business ventures offering very different services:

Professional Juggler Steve successfully runs an online juggling equipment and novelty item store, performs his juggling nationwide, and is also a Freelance Web Designer. To top all this, he has recently had his first book published, teaching children (and adults) how to learn yo-yo tricks!

Stirling man Steve launched his Freelance Web Design business in July 2001, and has since built up an impressive portfolio of clients.
"My aim is to provide a complete one stop shop for all my client's requirements, and if I am not able to do something, I have built up a range of relationships to ensure that a job can be done as expertly as possible".

In 2002 (Steve's first full year as a professional juggler) he performed in excess of 35 shows/workshops all over Scotland. He even made his first TV appearance on a talent spot on a BBC Football programme called Offside!

Steve then went on to secure funding from The Scottish Princes Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) which allowed him to set up his online mail order juggling equipment store. In January 2004, the store began to accept credit/debit cards and continues to grow every month.

PSYBT helps young people start-up and continue in business by offering not just financial help to get up and running but, more importantly, an aftercare support service for two years after start-up. During this time, the business has access to free guidance and help from an advisor specially allocated to that business.

Steve can be contacted at steve@jugglingworld.biz , or visit one of his websites: www.webdesignworld.biz or www.jugglingworld.biz

To find out more about PSYBT, contact Bob Ballantyne here at STEP on 01786 463416 or email: bballantyne@stirling-enterprise.co.uk

Juggling Can Boost Brain Power

Learning to juggle can cause changes in the brain, scientists have found. Using brain scans, the researchers showed that in 12 people who had learnt to juggle, certain brain areas had grown.

But three months later, during which time people stopped juggling, the brain had gone back to its normal size. To read more on this amazing discovery, please visit the article on the BBC News Website.

Perthshire Advertiser - 9 December 2003 -
"£1.6m street transformation"

Juggling at the re-opening of a new pedestrianised area in Perth.

.net Magazine newsletter - 23 October 2003-
"www.jugglingworld.biz"

Courier and Advertiser - 9 July 2003 -
"Camp raises cash for charity projects"

As part of my contract with King's Sports Summers Camps, I have led 2 hour workshops all over Scotland for the past 2 years. This is one of the many articles and photographs appearing in local papers.

King's Sports Camps Press Release - 30 June 2003

King's Sports Camps will be encouraging all 4-17 year olds to clown around this Easter and Summer with the arrival of circus entertainer Steve Thomson to the Edinburgh activity camp, which is based at the Merchiston Castle School.

Children will get the opportunity to try their hand at a number of circus skills including plate spinning, juggling and diabolo. Commention upon the fun that will be had at the camp, Steve said, "The workshops are designed to encourage personal development and confidence, improve co-ordination, stimulate creativity and most importantly the emphasis is upon having FUN."

In addition to the circus skills, children can expect the usual range of sporting activities from swimming, aerobics, football, tag rugby, hockey and tennis plus some more unusual ones such as Danish longball, ultimate and T-ball...

Continuing further Steve said "the most important thing about the camp is that it provides an easy way for children to meet and make friends during the Summer break. It also gives them the chance to try some unusual activities that they may not have tried before. I certainly hope that they will want to book onto the circus skills course and try their hand at juggling all kinds of unusual items."

Stirling Observer - 11 June 2003 -
"Write up in the Air"

The first of 2 articles in this edition of the Stirling Observer! I was keen to get a further article written about the Stirling Juggling Project after the success of the first Observer article, so I arranged to meet Kaiya Marjoribanks at Stirling Boys Club, and the following story emerged!

Book is now due to be published - February 2004

Stirling Observer - 11 June 2003 -
"Falling into Place"

The second mention of us in Stirling Observer's 6 June 2003 issue! This was a press release penned by George the Juggler to announce the Holland Exchange Trip.

Facepainting Magazine - February 2003
Scottish Juggling and Face Painting Convention 2003
by Val Lampkin

Thanks to Zoe for scanning in and sending me this article. I am the guy with lion face paint in the bottom middle of the second page above!

MAiLOUT Magazine - Feb/March 2003
"The Quest for Glory"

We got this fantastic double page write up in MailOut Magazine (The National Magazine for developing participation in the Arts) - Feb/March 2003 edition. Article written by our very own George the Juggler, and photographs supplied by me.

Stirling Observer - Friday 6 December 2002 -
"It's All Part of the Act"

Please view the page in Stirling Juggling Project section. This article was too big to fit on my scanner! We got a double page centre spread written by the fantastic Kaiya Marjoribanks. This article helped us to achieve a sellout performance for our Project at our Christmas Show!

View the "It's all part of the Act" article

Daily Record Young Scot Magazine -
"Success in the Air"

This article was in the Daily Records Young Scot Magazine and tells the story of how 6 of us were able to fundraise our way to the Bremen Juggling Convention in August 2002.