The Wee Village, an interactive children’s play centre in Doagh, is celebrating its 15,000th ‘wee one’ visit since launching three years ago.
A thriving business, despite the challenges of COVID lockdowns, owner Victoria has created a vibrant and engaging space where children can learn, play, and explore their imaginations.
Victoria Nichols, the visionary behind The Wee Village, received support from Mallusk Enterprise Park in 2020.
Through the assistance of an experienced Mentor, Victoria, who has a background in art and architecture, was able to develop a comprehensive business plan. The start up mentoring support that was provided as part of the Go For It programme laid the foundation for the successful venture.
Business Adviser Louise Parkes from Mallusk Enterprise Park recently visited The Wee Village to congratulate Victoria on her accomplishments and discuss the next stage of business growth with the local entrepreneur.
By sharing expertise and guidance, Louise aims to help Victoria further expand and enhance her interactive children’s play centre.
“We are thrilled with the response The Wee Village has received from the local community,” said business founder, Victoria Nichols.
“Our mission is to provide a safe and stimulating environment for children to learn, play, and socialise. The support from Mallusk Enterprise Park has been instrumental in our journey, and we are excited about the next chapter of growth.”
The Wee Village has quickly become a favourite destination for families in Ballyclare and beyond, offering a range of imaginative play areas, educational activities, and a nurturing atmosphere. The engaging and interactive experiences provided by The Wee Village have captivated the hearts of children and parents alike.
Louise Parkes, Business Advisor at Mallusk Enterprise Park, expressed her admiration for Victoria’s achievements and commitment to continued growth.
“Victoria’s dedication and passion for creating a truly exceptional play centre are evident in The Wee Village’s success,” she said, adding: “Mallusk Enterprise Park are committed to supporting Victoria as she takes the next steps in expanding her business and reaching new heights.”
Mallusk Enterprise Park has been a valuable partner in supporting The Wee Village’s growth and success.
The ongoing partnership between The Wee Village and Mallusk Enterprise Park is a testament to the thriving entrepreneurial community and the spirit of collaboration across the Antrim and Newtownabbey borough.
Together, they are working towards creating more opportunities for families and contributing positively to the local economy.
About The Wee Village:
The Wee Village is an interactive children’s play centre located in Doagh. Since its establishment, The Wee Village has provided a safe and stimulating environment where children can engage in imaginative play, learning, and socialising. The centre offers a range of play areas and educational activities designed to foster creativity and development in children.
Local entrepreneur Victoria, who grew up in Ballyclare, lives on the seven mile straight with her husband Graeme and three children: Anna, aged 9, Nancy, aged 7, and the youngest, two-year-old Frances, who is endearingly called the Wee Village’s ‘wee mascot’ and ‘blessing’, as she came along after the initial launch of the business.
For further information about The Wee Village and its interactive children’s play centre, visit The wee Village online at: theweevillage.co.uk.
You can follow the journey of The Wee Village via their posts on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also read more about Victoria’s story courtesy of Local Women Magazine:
Local Women Magazine Feature – ‘The Wee Business with the Big Imagination’
Recent Award Wins:
Victoria Nichols: Mighty Woman ‘Commitment to Child Development’ and Mighty Woman ‘Unique Entrepreneur’.
About Mallusk Enterprise Park:
Established in 1992 Mallusk Enterprise Park is a local enterprise agency located in Newtownabbey. Operating as a social enterprise Mallusk Enterprise Park is committed to supporting individuals and businesses in the Newtownabbey area, throughout each and every stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Through various programmes, events, initiatives and available spaces, the experienced business advisory team at Mallusk Enterprise Park provide advice, guidance and resources to help entrepreneurs realise their business goals.
Mallusk Enterprise Park operates from a purpose built business park offering 50,000 square feet of workspace, office accommodation, meeting and conference spaces including private huddle rooms, co-working desks and a professional mailing address service to more than 60 local businesses and their 250+ employees.
About the Go For It Programme:
Mallusk Enterprise Park has been a valuable partner in supporting the start up of The Wee Village through the Go For It programme, a free programme providing professional business start-up mentoring and support tailored to Northern Ireland entrepreneurs and their business ideas.
If you have a business idea you’d like to develop or if you are thinking about starting a business contact the Go For It Programme directly on: 0800 027 0639, speak to the Business Advice team at Mallusk Enterprise Park on: 028 9083 8860 or visit the ‘Go For It’ website at: www.goforitni.com
The Go For It Programme is delivered free of charge by Local Councils through Northern Ireland’s wide network of Enterprise Agencies’ highly experienced business advisors. It is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014 – 2020) Programme.