Crime Scene Corporate History

Crime Scene Corporate are an innovative independent educational support business. We use the captivating medium of forensic science and crime scene scenarios as a way of engaging students (Year 7 upwards) in science. The students also get to see how science is used in real life applications. The business can be used in many ways but its main traits being:

• A Science Initiative
• An Enterprise Initiative
• A Higher Education Initiative
• A Crime Preventative

Right from the start of the business Crime Scene Corporate main ethos was and still is to make Science...

REAL, FUN and EXCITING

Background

I'm Tina Ffrench, 37 years old and a professional businesswoman as a mother of 4. I decided to go to university later on in life in order to care for my family during their early years. In 1999 I saw the University of Teeside offered a Degree in Crime Scene Science. I enrolled onto the course and began my dream of achieving my aspirations within the subject matter I was really interested in.

University life was not easy trying to juggle a home life as well as project deadlines. I organised myself as well as I could without any depreciation to my family way of life. I travelled sixty miles a day come rain or snow in order to achieve my goals. Two years into my degree I found my children having an increased interest in what I was doing. They realised that science is not as boring or uninteresting as they first thought. I set about trying to develop some kind of programme that I could offer children. The research and development started early on bits of scrap paper when I had the time. I have always had a great rapport with children so I knew my communication skills could be put to great use combined with my knowledge. I also knew that if I could enthuse one child's opinion and encourage them I had done a good job.

The Early Days

On graduation I was lucky to find employment as a FORENSIC SCIENTIST. This was my way of gaining valuable work experience in my field, while still working on my business idea. In 2004 I decided that this was it and needed to take my idea further. I went to see Jan Harris at The Department of Academic Enterprise at Teesside University. She was very supportive and even on our first meeting said that I would be an ideal candidate for The North East Woman Entrepreneur of the year. This took me aback as this was the first person I had shared my business idea with in a professional capacity. She was of great encouragement which gave me more determination to get the business off the ground. She also gave me an opportunity to talk at an enterprise event, which was very daunting but I did it.
I then went home and created my business plan, which on reflection was the best thing I could have done. I could see the reasoning behind my idea and clear objectives in the stance of five years of targets and goals.

I then set about thinking how I was going to deliver workshops/events, what would be interesting and how I was going to engage the students, number of students, staff etc., Was it to include The National Curriculum Criteria etc. This again took months and months in the planning. Suppliers had to be contacted etc. I had to also think of how I was going to market the idea, who were my target customers etc. The logistics of the LEA are confusing at the best of times without offering them something different!!! I also discussed the idea with my former tutor Mr Ian Pepper who was also valuable with his support and still is.

Taking The Idea And Forming It Into A Business (Start and Current)

After discussions with suppliers, who were also of great support I did my first pilot workshop. I utilised what I had around me. I therefore did an event with the local Girl Guides and Brownies. This was of great success and even the adults joined in and had a great time. I was lucky enough also to know a governor at a local school. He managed to organise a meeting with myself and the Head of Science. I discussed what I was offering, HE BOOKED. My first booking, which took me to the realms of pride and happiness, I had achieved my dream.

I delivered my first Workshop without any hiccups or problems, but it did identify that alone it was not enough to deliver to 30 students. My husband then left his job to join the business. I then set about trying to develop and design a flyer for the business. We went to a local designer who designed and printed the business some flyers.
As time went by I increasingly learnt more about schools, how they work with the curriculum. I decided to contact the Local Education Business Partnerships. I did think though, I didn't want anyone to pinch my idea as it had taken me so long to achieve. I decided to be big, you have to think big, I therefore contacted all the EBP's in the UK. On request I sent my flyer. Through one of the EBP's we were contacted by a school and asked to provide an enterprise event for 200 student. We said yes, we developed a way of including all the students and the event was very successful. This now is our main event and has included a whole schools involvement in Essex. This coincides with the current enterprise initiative for year 10 students. This was also fabulous and included on Specialist Schools Trust website as a case study. We also involve special needs children in all our events. We engaged students that do not always show up at school, these students were there the whole week and showed a major interest in the Workshop. We have found that all the events we have done so far the children are really attentive. They love going into the scenes with their Crime Suits on and retrieving and analysing evidence they have created. They learn science without realising! The engagement and communication of science at its best!!!

We then had a press release prepared and included in the local newspaper. Within days we were contacted by a film producer, magazines, newspapers etc. We took part in an interview with The Mail On Sunday and then were contacted by the producers of the Richard & Judy Show for Channel 4. They subsequently came to Whitby to film one of our Workshops. This was a fantastic if not sensational piece of television and aired all over the UK. We also had a direct link provided for us on the Channel 4 website. Our own website is taking shape which will provide lots of interesting information as well as an online shop for the budding Forensic Scientist to purchase their essential investigative equipment which we are being asked for by students all he time.

I have a great rapport with all my contacts and have been to various meetings from London to Cumbria which has shown an increased demand for our Workshops. The Royal Society Of Chemistry are interested in our business as well as The Crown Prosecution Service including me on their road show delivering to adults, another area for Crime Scene Corporate to explore as there are 42 CPS areas.

We have now got bookings and contacts all around the UK with interest coming in from the USA. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved and continue to enjoy delivering our Workshops throughout the country. We now employ 4 full time members of staff and various part-time staff across the country. Our future developments and prospects are excellent with many avenues to explore. I have been asked by The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth to provide some Outreach Proposals. These were accepted and they are using the first UK Forensic Residential Crime Scene Camp I have developed. This also helps our local community as I will need to employ local staff to be able to deliver to 50 students over a week.

More recently due to the success of schools workshops, we have now branched out into the Corporate arena due to popular demand. Tina Ffrench decided to launch “Forensically Challenged Limited” which was launch in London in March 2008. The exhibition was extremely successful and the stand received several hundred enquiries which are now being developed into tailor-made Corporate Team Building Days – further information coming soon!

THE FUTURE IS VERY PROMISING