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Enterprising Enterpris sing Britain 2007 7
Have e you helped help ped to cre create eate the most m enterprising enter rprising i i place plllace in Bri itain? Britain?
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Have you helped to create the most enterprising place in Britain? Can you think of something that has made a difference to the local community and improved the economic prospects of the region you work in? Sound familiar ? Then why not participate in the Enterprising Britain 2007 competition? Now in its third year, Enterprising Britain is a nationwide competition run by the Department of Trade and Industry in conjunction with the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and Devolved Administrations, to find the most enterprising town, city, place or area in the UK. We want to reward the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit and recognise the enterprising places that are making Britain great today. Want to get involved? The competition opens on 29 January 2007 and we are looking for the town, place, city or area that will be named the champion of UK enterprise. This may be anything from a town that has introduced specific ways of reducing unemployment in the area, to an individual project which has gone back to basics and introduced an innovative enterprise strategy to overcome a challenge. The winner will get a commemorative prize such as a plaque or dedicated statue for the community, and national and international recognition for their achievements. Applications must be sent to your local RDA or Devolved Administration. Please contact them for closing date and postal address. Further information is also available at
www.sbs.gov.uk/enterprisingbritain The Enterprising Britain Awards team looks forward to receiving your application and finding the most enterprising place in the UK!
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NATIONAL WINNER 2006 West Kilbride Craft & Design Town, Scotland
What is Enterprising Britain 2007?
Why should I enter?
Who won last year?
Enterprising Britain is a nationwide competition to identify the town, city, place or area in the country that is best improving economic prospects and encouraging enterprise activities. The competition aims to reward the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit and recognise the enterprising places that are making Britain great today.
There are entrepreneurial places, people and projects across the UK which are making a real difference and contributing to the UK’s enterprise culture through job creation, by ensuring long-term sustainability, and attracting inward investment. Enterprising Britain 2007 is your chance to be recognised for the work you and your teams have done to create an enterprising culture and to be rewarded on a national and international scale. In addition to this all regional winners will be invited to an awards ceremony in London in September 2007 when the overall Enterprising Britain 2007 winner will be announced; be given a commemorative prize to display in the community; receive regional and national publicity; and be able to use the specially designed 2007 winner’s logo in marketing materials and promotions.
Faced with above average unemployment and a town centre blighted by empty and unkempt shops, West Kilbride has transformed itself over the last few years into a thriving community and Scotland’s first Craft & Design Town. Using a specialised theme to revitalise itself – that of craft and design – the project has encouraged enterprise to flourish by providing affordable studio accommodation for designer makers, and redeveloping the town centre as a focus for niche retailing, conserving and enhancing local architecture and attracting visitors to the town. The project has already led to the establishment of five studios, a shop, a gallery, and attracted 14 new businesses to the town. This has created 24 direct jobs in the small community of West Kilbride, as well as generating indirect jobs in industries such as tourism and catering in the surrounding area. The runner-up demonstrated enterprise on a much larger scale! The Welland Sub-Regional Strategic Partnership in the East Midlands has worked to turn 1,000 miles of rural countryside into a strong, economically viable area through a diverse strategy of innovation and entrepreneurship.
How does it work? Enterprising Britain is run in two phases – a regional competition and a national competition. During the regional stage 12 regional winners will be selected from across the UK before going forward to the national final when the overall Enterprising Britain 2007 winner will be selected. The regional competition will run from 29 January 2007 to 31 May 2007 when the regional winners will be selected. Each regional winner will then go forward to the national final when they will be visited by members from Enterprising Britain’s independent judging panel. The overall Enterprising Britain winner will be announced in September 2007 and will also represent the UK at the European Enterprise Awards later in the year.
Who can take part? Enterprising Britain 2007 is open to all cities, towns, places or areas in the UK that can demonstrate how they have supported and promoted enterprise in the last two years. Entries will be judged by an independent panel of experts who will look for a candidate that can demonstrate the positive impact they have had on their region through enterprise. For example, this may be a city that is encouraging under represented groups into enterprise and is helping to change attitudes towards enterprise in the area, or a town with an innovative approach toward stimulating a local enterprise culture.
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How do I enter? Taking part couldn’t be easier! Contact your local RDA or Devolved Administration for an entry form, or download it from the website.
www.sbs.gov.uk/enterprisingbritain ENTRY IS FREE, and simply requires you to complete the form, and present the case as to why you would make a deserving winner.
What happens next? Once your application form is received all candidates will be assessed and a regional winner will be announced. All regional winners will go forward to the national final where members of an independent panel of judges will visit the regional winners and decide the national winner. The overall Enterprising Britain 2007 winner will be announced in September 2007 and go forward to the European Enterprise Awards.
Entry criteria and requirements for Enterprising Britain 2007 Candidates will be judged on how they have affected a significant and positive change in their approach towards supporting and promoting enterprise in the last two years. Candidates will need to demonstrate a clear focus on enterprise, with a specific desire to promote enterprise over and above other objectives. On completing the application, candidates must include a description of the project which tells the story of what has been achieved within this period and brings to life the transformation that has occurred. Candidates will need to provide an insight into the enterprise success and the strategy behind it; an account of how the place has responded to the challenges of promoting enterprise; and show how the project has helped transform or regenerate the area. Emphasis will be given to those candidates who can demonstrate innovative and inspirational thinking in their overall approach. For further information: Colin Bell Strategy Manager - Enterprise Development Northwest Regional Development Agency Renassiance House Centre Park Warrington WA1 1XB 01925 400538 Insert your RDA/DA contact details here Colin.Bell@nwda.co.uk
www.sbs.gov.uk/enterprisingbritain
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