2 June 2015
Former Sky Sports presenter Paul Musselle is hoping a state-of-the-art outside broadcast truck, funded with the help of a €500,000 contribution from a leading figure in the motorsports world and a Velocity grant, can propel his Bedfordshire TV production company into top gear.
Pulse8 Media, based in Wilstead near Bedford, is planning to use the truck to broadcast key sporting and music events across the country.
The unit, which has space for 26 people, and features the Velocity logo on the cab and the truck itself, has just returned from its first major bookings, providing the technology to deliver Qatari TV coverage of the Glorious Goodwood race meeting and also beamed live pictures to big screens at the International Motorcycle Classic in Lincolnshire.
Paul said: “This truck is the realisation of a long-held personal ambition and will hopefully quadruple the size of the business in just a couple of years. This puts us into a completely different league.
“The BBC came to have a look at it recently and were blown away. It’s one of the largest OB units in the UK a serious bit of kit and technically outstanding in every area; with huge areas for VT, engineering, production and audio. With capacity for up to 30 HD cameras VTRs, frankly there isn’t a broadcast job that it can’t handle.”
After securing private sector funding, Paul and his colleague David Holden-Locke, who were already in discussion with Velocity Advisor Clive Haywood, were able to apply for an additional grant from Velocity – the business support service delivered by the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP).
Ultimately, a bid for £41,000 of funding was approved, allowing the purchase of the truck to become a reality.
Clive said: “Paul, David and I had an exploratory chat to see what might be available but the external funding made a huge difference and ensured we could apply for a substantial Velocity grant.
“This is an incredible piece of equipment and illustrates the impact Velocity support can have on a business, helping it to grow and create new jobs – indeed, this is a prime example, as Pulse8 Media now plans to treble its workforce within two years.
Pulse8 Media managing director, Paul added: “The whole Velocity experience has been exceptional and their support has made a long-lasting difference to this company, allowing us to grow and progress onto the next level.”
Velocity Business Support and its qualified and experienced Business Advisers are available to help businesses in many ways, including one-to-one support, grants and free business workshops and networking events.
Our Advisers are widely connected to national and regional government organisations as well as the private sector, and are able to signpost businesses to sources of grant funding or make personal introductions to individuals or organisations that add value to businesses.
To find out more about how Velocity could help you, call 0300 01234 35, visit www.VelocityGrowthHub.com or follow us on Twitter @VelocityGrowth.
