The bus is the latest initiative from StartUp Britain, the campaign announced by government earlier this year to help create an entrepreneurial culture in the UK. It will visit The International Centre in Telford on the 21st September and local guests and county entrepreneurs will be invited to 'Get on Board the BoardRoom Bus' which will be loaded with business experts, StartUp local champions, business owners and members of the StartUp Britain founding team.
The 'START UP BRITAIN' movement has been launched to help new start entrepreneurs and accelerate the pace of UK business growth; in particular to create jobs and prosperity as the transition from a public sector dominated economy morphs towards private enterprise.
Whilst in London and the South East, where the campaign was born, only 35% of GDP is generated by the public sector, alarmingly further north, economic fragility is created by figures as high as 60 and 72%. Start Up numbers are also double in the South East to those further into the Midlands and the industrial north of England. These statistics have been one of the factors that have bonded three West Midlands 'start up' areas together. Start Up Birmingham, Start Up Black Country and Start Up Shropshire are collaborating so that their efforts can be more streamlined and the results more powerful.
The connecting vision that ties these areas together is the resolute belief that 'self employment' is the solution to the 'unemployment' crisis and will bring 'ground up' growth that will trigger growth, jobs and prosperity. Start Up Black Country and Start Up Shropshire are planning an urban/rural day on the 21st September that builds on the joint history of the first industrial revolution and celebrates the global start ups that are powering the second industrial revolution across the enterprising heartland of the UK.
The International Centre in Telford is the stopping off point for the Start Up Britain Bus in Shropshire and the event will attract enterprise students and seasoned entrepreneurs from across the county, Tom Gray the CEO of The International Centre said: "We are excited to be associated with the Start Up Shropshire Campaign and we welcome any activity that encourages an entrepreneurial culture in the UK. Access to the experts who can help guide and advise budding entrepreneurs is crucial and we are pleased to be part of that process".
START UP SHROPSHIRE aims to provide a launch pad for all sorts of businesses but in particular has recently focused on raising funds and helping young people with practical business skills, coaching, mentoring, access to finance and a launch pad for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Fay Easton, the Start Up Britain Local Ambassador said: "We are delighted to be hosting the Start Up Britain tour and will use this event to win support for our local campaign to deal with the massively escalating problem of youth unemployment. Jobs are not being made fast enough to absorb the rocketing numbers connected with young people‟s unemployment and self employment is our entrepreneurial solution. In Shropshire, we need small amounts of money and large amounts of entrepreneurial faith to help our local young people „Make a Job‟ by creating their own self start enterprises, supported by a collaboration with experienced entrepreneurs in the county."
For more information call: Fay Easton 07944 189436 or email fay@shropshireenterprise.co.uk