Young entrepreneur Sophie Beever, who has lived in Alderley Edge for most of her life, is taking every opportunity she can to put her business studies to practise over the festive period.
The 19 year old student is currently studying Business Management with Accounting and Finance at Nottingham Trent University and was Deputy Head Girl at Alderley Edge School for Girls until she left in 2009.
Sophie, who has 120 Christmas trees arriving from Preston on Wednesday, told me "I decided to start selling Christmas trees this year at Horseshoe Farm as the unit where Christmas trees are usually sold is no longer vacant and I thought there is a large potential market.
"So whilst sitting at university I did some research and decided to go ahead with the idea. I'm also selling wreaths, log stands for the trees and my vegetable boxes, including special boxes for Christmas day."
In 2007 Sophie single handedly organised a charity ball which raised over £2000 for motor neurone disease and earlier this year she was interviewed for The Apprentice, which she describes as "a great experience".
Sophie will be attending The Ryleys Christmas Fair on Friday, November 26th, and the Alderley Edge School for Girls Christmas Fair this Saturday, November 27th, where she will be be taking orders for trees. She will start selling them at Horseshoe Farm this weekend and then full time from December 4th.
Sophie explained "I started selling vegetables when I was in the sixth form but stopped for my first year at university as I wanted to settle in, now I'm in my second year I come home every weekend to sell my fruit and veg boxes.
"I have always been independent and had the drive to succeed. Whilst in the sixth form I wanted to do something different, it was only on a very small scale, but I would go to Chelford market and bid on the produce I wanted. I now go to Smithfield market in Manchester and use only top quality produce and I get as much as I can from the UK."
Nordmann Fir and Norway Spruce trees will be available in a variety of sizes, from £10.
