East Midlands Enterprise initiative named runner-up in European Award

A rural area in the East Midlands has been rewarded as runner-up winner of the Enterprise Support Award at the European Enterprise Awards ceremony in Brussels today.

The Welland Sub-regional Strategic Partnership (SSP), a finalist in the Department of Trade and Industryís Enterprising Britain competition, has been announced runner-up after beating more than fifty other European enterprise initiatives at the Awards ceremony.

The SSP covers 1,000 sq miles of rural Harborough, Melton, Rutland, South Kesteven and East Northamptonshire and includes 12 market towns.

The Awards, which have been described as the ëOscars for Enterprise Developmentí in Europe, are modelled on the DTIís highly successful Enterprising Britain competition and recognise outstanding initiatives that support entrepreneurship at a regional level and promote the role enterprise plays in society. This is the second time in two years that the East Midlands has taken centre stage ñ Sherwood Energy Village in Ollerton, in Nottinghamshire, won Enterprising Britain in 2005.

Welcoming the news, Industry and Regions Minister Margaret Hodge said:

ìWell done to The Welland SSP for getting this international recognition, by encouraging enterprise they have helped transform their regionís economy and they are an excellent example of why the UK is such an enterprising place. Their work has left a lasting legacy, and will hopefully inspire many other regions and countries throughout Europe to create the right conditions for entrepreneurs and small businesses to flourish.î

The enterprising initiatives in the Welland area proved so successful they turned 1,000sq miles of rural countryside into a strong, economically viable area. The Welland is staggeringly beautiful with high value homes in picture-perfect villages which mask areas of deprivation and social exclusion. The SSP has stimulated 32m investment into the local economy through public and private sector funding since 2003. Since then more than 1,500 new jobs have been created, 485 new businesses generated and 61 new community facilities established.

Working with a number of partners across all sectors, including local authorities, private and voluntary communities, The Welland SSP is tackling five key areas to ensure the local economy flourishes:

Business and enterprise ñ developing new enterprise centres;

Enterprising communities ñ developing village facilities to offer business support;

Employment, Learning and skills ñ nurturing a culture of enterprise by bringing together local businesses and schools;

Innovation ñ supporting the development of sustainable new technologies for the 21st century such as bio-mass, hemp supply chain development and innovative uses of satellite technology;

Tourism and culture ñ supporting the Hidden England initiative to capitalise the areaís historical assets and locations.

Libby Kingsley, Strategic Development Manager, who attended the awards on behalf of The Welland SSP, said:

ìWe are delighted with the recognition received at both the UK Enterprising Britain Awards and the European Enterprise Awards. These accolades will allow us to continue to raise the profile of our work in the Welland and encourage other rural areas across Europe to embark on similar enterprise initiatives. We have successfully proved that enterprise can be unleashed in strong communities with the right support.î

Alison Bingham, Enterprise Development Manager at East Midlands Development Agency (emda), who leads the Enterprising Britain campaign in the East Midlands said:

ìThe Welland SSP is successfully responding to the challenges that it faces as a rural area, specifically; isolation, low population and high housing costs. There are lots of highly skilled people living in the area, but they commute out for high city wages, taking the life out of towns and villages during the working day.

ìThe SSP is committed to being at the forefront of enterprise and innovation through its support of local entrepreneurs and businesses. This recognition at the European Enterprise Award rewards our SSPís hard work in successfully overcoming environmental, social and economic hurdles to create sustainable communities.

ìThis proves the East Midlands is full of people with enterprising ideas and our aim is to nurture and encourage these skills to ensure we have a Flourishing Region by 2020.î