TOP fashion designers Charles and Patricia Lester, from Abergavenny, have just been awarded the first special grant in South Wales to help them to develop e-commerce on their website.

The new ESME grant - offered by UK Online to small and medium-sized enterprises - is designed specifically to help firms turn their 'catalogue' websites into fully trading e-commerce sites.

With the help of Sheila Scanlon, a development officer with the IT Centre, Newport, the Lesters have received the first-ever ESME grant in South Wales, helping them to fund the development of their website from a simple showcase of their award-winning designs into a full on-line trading site.

The grant - which comes as match funding - will be used to fund web development and buy special software so that Charles and Patricia can offer their highly sought-after designer fashionwear online worldwide.

"The website has already proved a big success", said Charles Lester. "We are getting about 100,000 hits a month, and I have invested thousands of hours of my own time in research and in work developing our site".

Now, with the free and impartial advice of their local IT Centre, he has been able to fund the further development of the site, and in the next few weeks the site will become the latest 'outlet' for the couple's fashion goods and accessories, which are being worn by the rich and famous.

"The grant is part of the whole UK Online drive to make Britain first in Europe for e-commerce," explained Sheila.

"We offer matched funding of up to £31,000 for suitable applicants who want to develop their websites to the next stage."

The Lesters have not one, but six sites, and have registered more than 50 domain names as they develop their virtual organisation, offering their unique look not only to shops and direct purchasers, but also to professional designers from the world of film and opera. Newport's IT Centre, based in the Centre for Business, Devon Place, can be contacted on 01633 224416.