Encouraging individuals to follow their dreams

Entrepreneurs have graduated from the School for Social Entrepreneurs at the Eastern Enterprise Hub in Ipswich. Josh Turner is originally from Stowmarket and went to school in Ipswich and now lives in Manchester,. His Stand4Socks business is already operating and every pair sold helps specifici projects in this country and abroad, with more designs on the way (Image: Archant)

Seventeen entrepreneurs from School for Social Entrepreneurs East have graduated from the 2015/16 cohort of the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs, at a ceremony at the Eastern Enterprise Hub in Ipswich.

They now head to take their dreams and ideas and make them work in the wider community in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk - and beyond.

The entrepreneurs have participated in the year-long programme, benefiting from financial support and comprehensive learning support including a business mentoring scheme. The entrepreneurs all received Start-Up grants of £4,000 from the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme, and this – together with the action learning programme delivered in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs, and support from their Lloyds Banking Group mentor – has enabled them to take their social enterprises to the next level and plan for the future.

Launched in 2012, the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs, is designed to support social entrepreneurs in communities and, through them, help stimulate economic growth and regeneration across the UK.

Entrepreneurs have graduated from the School for Social Entrepreneurs at the Eastern Enterprise Hub in Ipswich. Sarah Louise Nkugwa's Pop Up Print Studio works in the community. She is from Ipswich. (Image: Archant)

Recent research by CAN Invest and Investing for Good demonstrates the positive impact of the programme on people, businesses and communities: by 2017 the programme will have created over 7,000 jobs and supported 1.1 million beneficiaries. The programme is also supported by The Big Lottery Fund.

Paula Rogers, head of the Social Entrepreneurs Programme at Lloyds Banking Group said: “This year’s cohort of students has made significant progress since joining the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs, and it is fantastic to see them developing their ideas and businesses first-hand with the support from the programme. As part of our commitment to helping Britain prosper, we are proud to witness the considerable impact these social entrepreneurs are having in their communities and wish them all success for the future”.

Digby Chacksfield, CEO of SSE East said, “We have an outstanding group of social entrepreneurs graduating from the 2015/2016 cohort and the

Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme has played a considerable role in supporting their development this year. We look forward to watching their continued success and positive impact they are making in their local communities”.

He praised them for their commitment in following their dreams.

The graduates have a diverse range of business aims and ambitions, for communities across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.

They include Josh Turner, originally from Stowmarket, who has come up with a range of quality socks to raise money for charities, to Sarah Louise Nkugwa from Ipswich, whose Pop Print Studio takes art into the community, and chef Kerry Overton, also from Ipswich, who wants to encourage healthy cooking, and eating across the area.