Anyone with an ambition to set up or grow a business making a positive social or environmental impact in the East of England is being invited to join a Social Venture Weekend in Cambridge.

Events being held by the Cambridge Judge Business School, starting on September 30 and November 25, offer intensive workshop trainings sessions for any business with a social or environmental mission in any sector.

Cambridge Social Ventures, formerly known as Social Incubator East and now part of the Centre for Social Innovation at the Cambridge Judge Business School, has trained more than 350 social ventures over the past two years in areas including basic finance, social business models and market research.

Although the programme supports ventures across the UK, there is a particular focus on businesses within the East of England.

Local ventures supported so far include Recovery Hub Ipswich which has converted a former pub in the town into a support centre for people recovering from addiction, and Prison Voicemail, a Norwich-based start-up that helps prisoners and their families communicate.

Others include the Arka Community Centre in Thetford, which delivers language courses and general support to the local East European community, and Harry Specters Chocolates in Ely, a chocolate-maker employing people with autism.

“We’ve trained ventures from Northern Ireland to Norway, but we’re committed to supporting social ventures in the East of England, opening doors to the world-class training on offer at Cambridge Judge Business School,” said Cambridge Social Ventures director Belinda Bell.

“A strong social sector needs a whole range of ventures, from huge high-tech companies to smallcommunity businesses, so we encourage anyone who wants to start or grow a social venture to get in touch.”

For details of the Social Venture Weekend sessions, visit www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/cambridgesocialventures .