Amazing new partnership as Investec backs Beyond Business
16 December 2011
On 28th November 2011 the House of Lords was host to the Beyond Business Launch. The Bromley by Bow Centre and Investec Bank plc were delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the brilliant work of the Beyond Business project over the past few years, celebrate their new partnership and launch three new social enterprises.
Beyond Business is a programme which has been successfully running since 2005. To date the programme has set up 33 new social enterprises in Tower Hamlets, of which 28 are still trading and generating a turnover between them of £3m each year. Through this over 200 local jobs have been created.
The programme has now entered an exciting new phase due to the generous support of the specialist bank and asset manager, Investec, which has committed £350,000 to Beyond Business over the next two years. This has allowed the programme to extend beyond Tower Hamlets to Newham and Hackney.
Eight budding business leaders pitched their business ideas to the Beyond Business ‘Dragons Den’ from which three winning social enterprises were chosen. The winners are:
Dot Dot Dot Property Guardians - Placing people who are working or volunteering in the third sector into empty social housing
PLUSH - Training and employing East London women as plumbers
BigSocComms - Providing marketing and communications for the third sector and giving practical creativity experience to disadvantaged young people
These three winning social enterprises have received a start up grant of up to £15,000 as well as ongoing mentoring and support from the Bromley by Bow Centre team. New for 2011 is the addition of BB College in which Investec volunteers will lead classes and mentoring sessions on a range of business skills such as ‘Becoming an employer’ and ‘Financial Control’. It is this winning combination that helps to ensure the entrepreneurs succeed in delivering their dreams.
Rob Trimble, Chief Executive of the Bromley by Bow Centre, said, “Investec’s incredible support for Beyond Business means that we are able to incubate new social enterprises that will create jobs and opportunities for generations to come. The programme will have a direct impact on the communities and estates in East London that face some of the greatest challenges at this time of recession and high unemployment.”
