Bournemouth North has a new kind of bootcamp, and it’s powered by confidence, creativity, and community.
Meet Gordon and Caryl Horsley: a former Royal Artillery soldier and a professional theatre performer who’ve turned a shared purpose into a thriving Swish Theatre School franchise, backed by a £25,000 Start Up Loan facilitated through X-Forces Enterprise.
Together, they’re creating safe, values-led spaces in church halls and school gyms where young people find their voice, often for the very first time.
Caryl brings professional theatre credibility; Gordon brings calm leadership forged through service. When deadlines loom, he’s the steady hand. When the curtain rises, she delivers the magic.
The funding, enabled via XFE as a specialist partner to the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans scheme, covered the real-world essentials many don’t see: safeguarding, licensing, and the foundations needed to operate professionally from day one. Gordon calls the process “fantastic from start to finish.”
In just three months, student numbers grew from 62 to 94. Plans for 2026 include stage tots (from 18 months), a 14+ performance academy, and screen acting classes — expanding opportunity for young people right across the district.
Their advice to others? Don’t underestimate the “hidden” start-up reality. Get informed early, prepare properly, and line up the right support before you open the doors.
When disciplined service meets creative purpose, and the right funding and mentoring show up at the right time, communities don’t just get a business.
They get a platform. A stage. And a place to shine.
Read Gordon and Caryl’s story at https://x-forces.com/from-artillery-to-dance/
