Start-ups and social entrepreneurs celebrate their graduation at Wherstead Park, Ipswich.
Another group of social entrepreneurs and Norfolk and Suffolk business start-ups was celebrated at a Festival of Enterprise, held at Wherstead Park, the home of the East of England Co-op Society, Ipswich.
The Eastern Enterprise Hub, based in Ipswich, used the opportunity to mark the graduation of the latest LLoyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs, who are launching a wide variety of businesses.
Digby Chacksfield, CEO of the Eastern Enterprise Hub, said there was a tremendous range of businesses in the latest 18 strong group.
“The festival was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the region’s amazing talent of social entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs.
“We’ve supported over 1,150 entrepreneurs since we opened in 2011 and many of them have achieved so much in such a short space of time.”
David Ellesmere, leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said it was good to see these young, viable businesses in the town. The council would support another Ipswich Entrepreneurs Programme in 2018, he said.
“The Ipswich Entrepreneurs Programme is bringing new and viable businesses to our town. “We are very pleased with the work that was done.”
Guest speakers included Nicola Steuer, managing director of the School For Social Entrepreneurs and Nick Temple, deputy CEO of Social Enteprirse UK.
Also at the event previous gradautes of the School for Social Entrepreneurs were present to show how their businesses had grown, and display their products and services in a pop-up marketplace.
The range of graduates was enormous, from people working in the areas of health and wellbeing, to music and drama, in developing local history, to crafts and clothing.
There were 18 graduates, with 13 able to be present on the day to receive their graduation certificates.
Also present were previous graduates of similar courses to share their success stories and products.
They graduates are: Sue Anderton, Michelle Brace, Allie Catchpole-Fisk, Rebecca Claxton, Rose Hoare, Liz Jenkins, Ali Marlow, Chris Mastricci, Mary Ann Barclay, Kate Nation, Jean Hogg, Sara Matthews, Tim Melvin, Kazz Morohashi, Charlie Pitman, Shirley Powell, Juliet Ryan and Michelle Shavdia.
Each of those present shared their story in a 60-second `pitch’.
There are many different social enterprises.
Charlie Pitman, from Ipswich is a singer and actor who has launched his youth theatre group Eastern Edge Theatre Company, Sue Anderton’s Maze works with families who have children with additional needs. Tim Melvin has a horticulture business, at Thetford, which helps ex offenders back into productive life, and Kazz Morohashi designs walking trails to help families discover local history together and Liz Jenkins has set up Alumah CIO to help victims of domestic abuse in West Suffolk.
Ali Marlow’s Thinking Out Loud is delivering coaching and training workshops within prison and schools, while Rose Hoare’s Wheatfen Forest School is providing outdoor learning opportunities at the 120 acres nature reserve created by her grandfather, famed naturalist Ted Ellis, close to his home in Norfolk.
The Lloyds Bank and Bank Of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme is a partnership between the School For Social Entrepreneurs and is jointly funded with the Big Lottery Fund.
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