Cake decorating business is a success for former tile maker

PETE Dissington has gone from tile maker to cake baker with help from Business Initiative and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

The 57-year-old, pictured, who lives in Porthill, near Newcastle, set up his own cake decorating business after being made redundant from H & R Johnson.

His talents have been officially recognised at the LSC's Stars For Skills Awards, where he was named the Best Re-Trainer in the West Midlands.

The award scheme was set up to honour people who have overcome barriers and achieved success after signing up for European Social Fund-supported programmes.

The programme Pete completed was organised through Festival Park-based Business Initiative, and he stumbled across it when he saw an advert in The Sentinel. The free training covered the ins and outs of starting up a business.

Pete said: "Some cakes I can do in a day and others can take up to a week.

"It depends on the finer details.

"Most people come to me with an idea for what they want and ask if I can do it.

"Some of the designs are a challenge, but it's good fun."

Pete makes cakes for any occasion, including birthdays, weddings and christenings, and he receives orders through word of mouth and online at his petescakes.com website.