12 August 2010
Willow Park Housing Trust named most enterprising place in the
Northwest
Willow Park Housing Trust has been crowned the most enterprising
place in the Northwest, beating stiff competition from across the
region in the nation’s Enterprising Britain competition.
Now in its sixth year, the nationwide competition run by
‘Enterprise UK’ rewards cities, villages, towns and neighbourhoods
that have tackled the economic downturn head on, successfully
creating jobs, boosting local business and nurturing
entrepreneurial talent, as the UK emerges from recession.
Willow Park Housing Trust was recognised for their Enterprise
Project, which is based in a ward ranked in the top 1% most
deprived areas in England.
As a Housing Trust, ‘enterprise’ is not their main activity, but
with a housing stock of 7,800 properties, covering 3 wards in
Wythenshawe, South Manchester with an area population of 31,000
people, they realised they are in a unique position to raise
awareness about self employment and enterprise, supporting new
businesses amongst residents, dispelling myths and certain negative
challenges facing their tenants and others living in the area.
The Willow Park Housing Trust Enterprise Project has been in
existence since December 2004 and in this time, had a massive
impact in changing the lives of people within the local
community.
Joe Doherty, Chief Executive of Willow Park Housing Trust,
said:
“Winning Enterprising Britain for the Northwest is a fantastic
achievement and we are delighted to have been recognised for our
work in bringing change to the area, creating jobs and transforming
the community. Our initiative doesn’t stop here though - we will
continue to champion enterprise and look forward to the national
finals of the competition.”
Throughout August 2010, Willow Park Housing Trust will go up
against the other eleven regional finalists from around the UK for
the Enterprising Britain 2010 national title. The overall winner
will then go on to represent the UK at the European Enterprise
Awards next year.
Commenting on the success Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive,
Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said:
“I am delighted that Willow Park has claimed this year’s
regional enterprise accolade. For a small project receiving very
little financial resource, the intensive yet informal and community
based approach to enterprise in deprived areas, is a model that
could be embraced by registered social housing providers across the
country.
“The success of Willow Park demonstrates what can be achieved if
people work together to improve the social and economic prospects
of their community. We are confident their example will encourage
other organisations to do more to support entrepreneurial behaviour
in the region, benefitting future generations. I wish them luck in
the national competition.”
This year’s runner up prize goes to ‘Give it a Go: The £5k
Challenge’ – a Lancashire County Council project that aims to find
the county’s brightest enterprising ideas that can benefit local
communities. To date this has included 12 district winners, each
receiving £5,000 towards their bright and enterprising ideas. The
winning entrants are now competing for a further £20,000 cash
injection, rewarded to the idea that has shown the greatest
potential.
County Councillor Michael Green, Cabinet Member for Economic
Development, Lancashire County Council said:
“There are many innovative people in Lancashire and as a county
council we are keen to encourage people to develop their
enterprising ideas. We're very pleased to be named among the best
in the North West for a scheme that is bringing change to the area,
creating jobs and transforming communities. Our work doesn’t stop
here though, we will continue to champion enterprise and look
forward to seeing the impact that ‘Give it a Go’ has in the years
to come.”
East Lancashire’s No Limits won the 2009 regional stages of the
Enterprising Britain competition.
For more information about the 2010 Enterprising Britain
competition go to www.enterpriseuk.org/enterprisingbritain.
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Notes to Editors
• Enterprising Britain is a nationwide competition
that celebrates and recognises enterprise achievement throughout
all the regions of the UK. For more information please visit
www.enterpriseuk.org/enterprisingbritain
• Enterprising Britain is open to all
organisations in the UK that are working in partnership to create
an enterprising place. The place can be a town, a city, a parish or
a neighbourhood and organisations must demonstrate that enterprise
is central to the economic and/or social transformation of the
place.
• The competition runs nationally across
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and operates in two
stages: a regional nomination stage and a national competition
between the regional finalist.
• Six of the 12 regional finalists will pitch
to a judging panel and the top three will be visited by the judging
panel in September.
• Previous national winners have
included:
- 2009 NWES Lowestoft
- 2008 Scarborough Renaissance Partnership
- 2007 North Staffordshire Regeneration
Zone
- 2006 West Kilbride Craft & Design
Town
- 2005 Sherwood Energy Village, Ollerton
For further information on Willow Park Housing Trust, contact
Phil Duffield on 0161 945 0655 or for further information on Give
it a Go (Lancs County Council) contact Sarah Dunn on 01772
536693.
For further information contact Shelley Tattersall, Press
Officer on 01925 400256 or email shelley.tattersall@nwda.co.uk
For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925
400259.
For further information and to view previous press releases
visit us at www.nwda.co.uk/press