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Twelve leaders in enterprise and regeneration

Monday, August = 13,=20 2007

Here are the details of each project that is going = forward=20 to the Enterprising Britain 2007 final in September.

Read = the news=20 story.

South East of England
Slough Creative = Academy has=20 been recognised for its success in helping local people secure = employment and=20 set up businesses in creative industries such as film, dance, and music. =

The Slough Creative Academy was set up to help address = Slough=92s=20 ever-increasing skills gap, which particularly impacts local ethnic = minority=20 groups. This skills gap has emerged in the past decade as the local = economy has=20 replaced declining manufacturing sector jobs with the growth of the = service=20 sector employment. However, many of the families who originally settled = in=20 Slough due to the abundance of manual and semi-skilled manufacturing = sector jobs=20 have lacked the appropriate skills and education to compete in the = higher=20 skilled service sector economy.

Now an integral part of the = local=20 community, the Slough Creative Academy has given disaffected local = people the=20 opportunity to become part of the current and future economic success of = the=20 town. Its achievements have been widely recognized nationally and = locally and in=20 2004 the Academy was a finalist in the Municipal Journal=92s Community = Initiative=20 of the Year Awards.

South West of England
The Knowle = West Media=20 Centre has been recognised for its success in unlocking the creative=20 entrepreneurial potential of young people from one of the most = disadvantaged=20 areas of the South West. KWMC is an independent charity that helps local = young=20 people gain experience and skills in various areas of the media such as = design,=20 film and photography. The centre, which currently employs 16 staff, has = worked=20 primarily with young people since it was set up in 2002. KWMC develops = concepts=20 and projects with young people to express their ideas, learn new skills, = explore=20 issues and bring about change.

The latest ambitious KWMC project = is the=20 Archimedia Project, where young people have driven the design and build = of a new=20 flagship media centre to replace the current site in Knowle West, = Bristol. It is=20 a trail blazing environmental build which will be the largest straw bale = building in the South West of England. Young local people have been at = the heart=20 of all the decision-making from the design of the building, to the = fundraising=20 activity. All participants have gained invaluable skills and business = experience=20 that will benefit them in the future.

East = Midlands
Business=20 Breaks for Young People has been recognised for its success in using = enterprise=20 to inspire young people from deprived areas of Nottingham. Established = in 2004,=20 Business Breaks for Young People is a community based enterprise = programme run=20 by Nottinghamshire Business Venture, and supported by the Greater = Nottingham=20 Partnership. The programme works primarily with young people from = disadvantaged=20 areas of Nottingham who are either at risk of exclusion or who have been = excluded from mainstream education. The programme aims to capture their=20 imagination and then support and encourage them to set-up their own=20 business.

As well as providing practical business skills, = Business Breaks=20 raises the aspirations and self-esteem of the young people involved. At = the end=20 of the programme participants are also more likely to remain in school = and=20 complete their education. This benefits the school and the local = community,=20 whether or not the individual student establishes a business. Over the = last=20 three years the programme has given 138 young people the opportunity to = set up a=20 business of their choice and over 22 of the start-up businesses set up = have=20 continued to run long after the young people involved have completed the = programme.

Northern Ireland
Irvinestown Trustee = Enterprise=20 Company has been recognised for its success in increasing economic = development=20 and employment opportunities in the town of Irvinestown and surrounding = area.=20 ITEC is a not-for-profit company founded in 1992 to tackle economic = problems by=20 actively engaging the community in job creation and working in = partnership with=20 other agencies to target and address social need and improve the = conditions of=20 community life. Since its inception ITEC has developed a series of = community led=20 regeneration initiatives which to date has created over 50,000 sq ft of = fully=20 occupied workspace and generated more than 200 jobs across 25 businesses = varying=20 from manufacturing, retail and service. Amongst the businesses operating = from=20 ITEC are; a niche market textile industry, a timber frame construction = company=20 and a rural transport project.

ITEC has achieved considerable = success in=20 addressing social issues such as the decline in agricultural activity = and=20 income, rural decline, dereliction and rural isolation.

North = West of=20 England
People Encouraging Enterprise in Rossendale (PEER), has = been=20 recognised for its role in turning the economic fortunes of the borough = of=20 Rossendale around by encouraging the creation and growth of businesses = and=20 social enterprises throughout the area. Like so many other manufacturing = areas=20 before it, the borough experienced sharp economic decline. By 2002 = Rossendale=20 had become an economic backwater with low wage levels, poor self-image = and=20 limited business start-ups and VAT registrations. Rossendale had a very = poor=20 self-image, and many in the local community had become dejected and=20 disengaged.

By early 2002 community leaders had had enough and = were eager=20 to stimulate change. PEER was formally established in September 2003, = becoming=20 the UK's first Enterprise Facilitation project based on the SirolliTM = approach=20 to local regeneration. The Sirolli model offers support and mentorship = to people=20 and groups who have an idea for a new business, an existing business or = a=20 community enterprise. It is a free and confidential service. PEER has=20 demonstrated the success of an enterprise project that builds community=20 involvement and has helped some 200 clients to develop their business = and expand=20 the local economy. In each case PEER mobilised the passion, networks, = energy and=20 expertise of its Board and Facilitator to help these organisations = develop and=20 implement ambitious enterprise programs. PEER=92s emphasis is always on = helping=20 clients to help themselves.

East of England
The Paper = Trail=20 has been recognised for its success in transforming disused industrial = buildings=20 into a self-financing education, business and heritage centre. The = charity has=20 converted several derelict and disused buildings into a heritage centre = for=20 education and innovation based around paper media and an Enterprise = Centre, home=20 to 26 local start-up and small businesses. The project offers a range of = opportunities and income-generating activities including the heritage = centre,=20 recycled papermaking, conferencing facilities, schools=92 projects, = training=20 courses and workspaces specifically for start-up businesses. This = enterprising=20 rescue package not only saved an important part of Britain=92s = industrial heritage=20 but also sparked an economic revival in the surrounding area.=20

London
Croydon Enterprise has been recognised for its = success=20 in setting up the Croydon Enterprise programme, which provides advice = and=20 support to budding entrepreneurs, as well as helping existing businesses = to=20 grow. The key challenge for London=92s largest borough has been to close = the gap=20 between its thriving town centre and the deprived pockets in its outer = lying=20 districts. In 2005 the local council worked with a private organisation, = Croydon=20 Business, to secure =A377m over 10 years from the government=92s Local = Enterprise=20 Growth Initiative.

The key aims of the programme are to increase = entrepreneurial activity, encourage existing business growth and reduce = business=20 failure; attract inward investment, and increase local employment = opportunities.=20 The project is aimed at local people and businesses from the deprived = areas as=20 well as key target groups, for example, women, BAME, young people, lone = parents,=20 disabled people and people over 50.

Croydon Enterprise has = already made a=20 difference in Croydon and in its first 12 months it has developed a = strong=20 identity for offering advice to budding entrepreneurs, securing inward=20 investment and working with local schools to include enterprise in the=20 curriculum. A building enterprise construction skills centre is up and = running;=20 over 3,000 people are considering starting a business; over 1,000 new = businesses=20 have started up, and there have been hundreds of calls to the new = business=20 hotline.

Scotland
Edinburgh Science Triangle (EST) is a = collaborative branding and marketing project that promotes the breadth = of=20 science capabilities in Edinburgh and the Lothians. EST is an example of = how the=20 region is combining the academic strengths of its world-class = universities with=20 its global strengths in key industries such as life sciences, = technology, energy=20 and informatics. Recent announcements - such as the =A360m Scottish = Centre for=20 Regenerative Medicine at the Centre for Biomedical Research - have = underlined=20 the region=92s commitment to maintaining world-class capabilities in = science and=20 innovation. EST sites have delivered some significant international = firsts=20 including =91Dolly' the sheep, the world=92s first mammal to be cloned = from an adult=20 cell, which was created at the Roslin Biocentre.

Since its = launch in=20 2004, EST has already secured a place in the world's top 20 science = parks and=20 aspires to become one of Europe=92s top 10 research and development = locations. EST=20 estimates that it has helped create around 700 jobs so far and that a = further=20 15,000 new jobs could yet be created. The invaluable work of Edinburgh = Science=20 Triangle will lead to more collaboration and greater convergence between = different sectors, ultimately delivering double-figure growth and a = greater=20 overall impact on Scotland=92s economy.

Wales
Galeri = Caernarfon=20 Cyf is a community enterprise which has been recognised for helping to = transform=20 the economic and artistic fortunes of Caernarfon in North Wales. The = jewel in=20 the project=92s crown is the =A37.5m Galeri Creative Enterprise Centre, = which opened=20 in 2005 and is now home to a theatre, an art gallery and a bar, as well = as=20 meeting rooms, studios and businesses. Galeri has marked a significant=20 development for the arts and creative industries in North Wales as the = arts=20 centre currently receives no revenue funding from the local authority = but funds=20 itself through the rent paid by 16 companies in Galeri=92s workspaces, = hiring out=20 meeting rooms and studios.

The amount of people that have = visited the=20 centre has been a boost to the local economy and the centre is a source = of great=20 pride among many of the townspeople. The centre has offered a deprived = community=20 access to world-class creative facilities and an inspirational venue.=20

West Midlands
North Staffordshire Regenerations Zone = has been=20 recognised for its role in turning round the economic fortunes of North=20 Staffordshire, once home to thriving steel, coal, ceramics and tyre=20 manufacturing industries. Over the last 30 years the area saw decline in = its=20 traditional industries, resulting in the closing of many factories and=20 businesses and the loss of over 60,000 jobs. The legacy left behind = affected all=20 aspects of the economy creating significant challenges for business, = skills,=20 health and dereliction of the physical environment. By 2003 Barclays = branded the=20 area =93the worst place in the country to start a = business.=94

The North=20 Staffordshire Regeneration Zone project is about creating solid = foundations upon=20 which to develop a new generation of entrepreneurs. The direct impact on = the=20 local economy is already beginning to be seen, with more than 1,000 new = jobs=20 created and 500 new businesses started in the area since the project = began.=20 North Staffordshire Regenerations Zone has brought enterprise and small = business=20 to the forefront of economic development, creating a platform for future = activity and growth.

Yorkshire & Humber
Broughton = has been=20 awarded for its transformation of a declining rural community into a = beacon of=20 enterprise. A decade ago Broughton had declining industries and few = employment=20 opportunities. Today the area has dramatically changed, with 50 = businesses=20 operating in quality renovated buildings employing over 600 people, = making=20 Broughton a centre of enterprise activity.

For centuries this = micro=20 rural economy was agriculture based but it suffered serious decline in = the=20 twentieth century and by the 1980s there was hardly any economic = activity. Eager=20 for change, the local authority, the community, and property owners came = together and decided to renovate the parish=92s many redundant = buildings. In 1982,=20 Broughton Parish began redeveloping these disused buildings and = persuading=20 companies of the benefits of moving to a rural location. Broughton is = now host=20 to 50 businesses including local, national and global organizations such = as GE,=20 Erikson and Capio Healthcare.

This economic boom has been = accompanied by=20 improved social and cultural activities with a new community centre, = restored=20 chapel and modernised village pub. Broughton has become known as the = pioneer of=20 this form of rural renaissance with visitors coming from all over the = country to=20 learn and emulate their activity.

North East
Bishop = Auckland=20 Town Centre Forum has encouraged people to take part in events held in = and=20 around Bishop Auckland. The Marketing and Promotions Sub Group, a = volunteer=20 group, has over the last four years developed and implemented a = proactive and=20 adventurous events-led strategy, which has met the Forum=92s aim of = generating=20 great community spirit and pride in the town. Its successes so far = include the=20 Bishop Auckland Motor Show, a 1940s nostalgia weekend, a Christmas = lights=20 procession, and the Wear Valley Food Festival, a major regional event = attracting=20 58 market stalls and over 23,000 visitors in 2007.

In the 2004 = Index of=20 Multiple Deprivation this area of the Wear Valley was rated as the most = deprived=20 rural district in England. Now the town is growing in economic health as = indicated by the decrease in the number of vacant commercial properties = in the=20 town centre from 64 in 2003 to 20 in 2007, footfall and spending is = being=20 improved, and the self-confidence of the town has improved.=20

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