A NORTH Yorkshire ice cream maker has scooped a double serving of Government funding, thanks to some tasty help from Business Link York and North Yorkshire.

Helmsley-based Ryeburn Ice Cream has won two separate grants totalling £25,000 to help it to diversify into new markets.

The firm received help to secure the funding by Business Link York and North Yorkshire's personal business advisers Peter Donoghue and Roger Benson.

The first grant, a DTI-funded Smart 'Micro' award worth £10,000, is to develop a way of creating shaped chocolate moulds that can be filled with ice cream. This differs from the usual "shaping" method of laying chocolate on top of the ice cream, and will increase definition dramatically.

The second grant, of £15,000, is from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is managed by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. This has been secured to help the business to diversify into handcrafted chocolate production.

Founded in 1989 by former farmer Richard Otterburn, the company supplies a wide variety of quality ice creams to retailers across the north of England. It also has a popular and thriving tea room and ice cream parlour, visited 175,000 people during 2002.

The business, which has six staff, is on the site of the farm run by the Otterburn family for more than 100 years. Mr Otterburn started making ice cream in 1988 as a sideline but it proved so popular that in 1992, he closed the farm to concentrate full-time on ice cream production.

Richard's son, David, is head of production at the factory and is overseeing the two projects. He said: "The funding we have secured is crucial in enabling us to diversify our business and tap into new markets.

"Business Link York and North Yorkshire has been brilliant. Its business advisers have basically held our hands throughout both of the funding application processes and they continue to give us support when we need it."

Business Link York and North Yorkshire offers a wide range of help and advice services for small to medium-sized businesses or people considering starting up in business, on issues including people development, exporting, ICT and e-business, sales and marketing, design and innovation and finance.

To receive Business Link's free information pack, phone 01904 686000.

Updated: 10:42 Tuesday, January 14, 2003