UK To Utilize Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 To Drive Into Economic Recovery
North East people in their thousands will be taking part in the sixth annual celebration of enterprise in the region as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week launching today (Monday 16 November).
This is the second year that the week is known as Global Entrepreneurship Week, which will see the region become part of a global movement with over 87 countries taking part.
More than 250 events will take place across the North East as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (16-22 November) – a worldwide entrepreneurial movement across 87 countries that aims to encourage people to unleash their enterprising talents and turn their ideas into reality.
The UK leads the way with over 4,000 events so far, the single biggest activity, The Make Your Mark Challenge involves over 70,000 school students nation-wide. And this region will see thousands of local people take part in events and activities happening across the week to develop their entrepreneurial ideas, with a focus on realising global opportunities – helping create jobs, drive recovery and deliver growth.
Local Global Entrepreneurship Week ambassadors took part in a ‘high flyers’ photo call at Newcastle International Airport to represent international trade and its role in driving economic recovery. These ambassadors all have North East-based businesses that successfully trade across the globe.
These include Northumberland-based Sneakart, an online company that allows people to customise their own trainers with patterned sneaker skins -it has just taken orders from the USA and the Gulf State. And Claire Bromley from Barnard Castle whose knitwear-clothing label, Claire International Ltd has swept into Vogue House and is currently being exhibited at fashion shows across the world.
L-R: Regional ‘high flyers’ launch Global Entrepreneurship Week – Claire Bromley of Claire ID, Elliot Brook of Deadgood and Zoe Gilbertson of Sneakart
Elliott Brook from Newcastle-based Deadgood also joined the lineup; his furniture is stocked in a handful of department stores in the UK, Europe and Asia. And Claire Mitchell from astonmitchell.com – an online male make up company run from Bowes in Teesdale, one of only a handful of outlets to stock products by Michelle Probst – the personal make-up artist to President Barack Obama.
Sneakart director Zoe Gilbertson said: “I’m pleased to be a regional ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship Week, it’s a great initiative to ensure that the ideas and aspirations of all young entrepreneurs in the North East are built in to successful enterprises. The North East is really is a great place to set up a business, there is so much advice and support out there to turn your business ideas into a global success – like mine.”
Enterprise UK head of North East region Louise Kempton said: “This year’s theme will focus on highlighting the role of enterprise in driving economic recovery, by encouraging millions of people to unleash their enterprising talents and turn their ideas into reality.
“The events that are happening across the North East will help inspire people to take control through being entrepreneurial and collectively will have a long term positive impact on people in the region. It’s our enterprising people that will help drive economic recovery. Through Global Entrepreneurship Week and the thousands of activities across the UK we aim to connect these fresh-thinkers to like-minded people both at home and abroad.”
Regional highlights of the week will include, ‘The Secret to Creating International Success on a Shoestring’ event that will be held today (Monday 16) at The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Key speakers include, Claire Mitchell from astonmitchell.com and Craig Daglish from UK Trade and Investment.
Five middle schools in Northumberland will also take part in a Global Challenge at Longhirst Hall where they will consider how countries around the world rely on each other for their resource needs.
Other events during GEW will include the launch of the annual Make Your Mark Challenge, ‘Don’t be a Carbon Copy’ – the UK’s largest one-day enterprise competition (16 Nov); Women’s Enterprise Day (18 Nov); Social Enterprise Day (19 Nov); and Home Enterprise Day (20 Nov).
Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, said: “Whether they’ve built a global empire or work from their kitchen table, entrepreneurs are key to driving economic prosperity. Their contribution to the UK and global economy cannot be underestimated.”
Global Entrepreneurship Week is co-ordinated by Enterprise UK, the business-led, government-backed campaign to give people the skills, confidence and ambition to be enterprising.
Peter Jones, entrepreneur and Enterprise UK chair, said: “Entrepreneurs are not born, they are made. Entrepreneurship is a skill that can be taught just like any other. That’s why Global Entrepreneurship Week is so vital right now to inspire thousands of people to pursue their ideas, to create jobs, and to build global ambition among young people and business owners alike.”
In 2008, the first ever-Global Entrepreneurship Week saw 644,000 people attend events all over the UK. Global Entrepreneurship Week is co-ordinated by Enterprise UK, a campaign to unlock the UK’s enterprise potential. Further details are available at www.gew.org.uk
Supporters of the week already include big names from every continent including Gordon Brown, Hilary Clinton, Prince Charles and Presidents and Prime Ministers from Brazil, Japan, Ghana, France and Australia. As well as government departments such as the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and the Environment Agency; key business organisations such as the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors.
Topics: ambassadors, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Britain, economic prosperity, economic recovery, Economy, enterprise potential, entrepreneurship, France, Ghana, global economy, global empire, Global Entrepreneurship Week, global trading, Gordon Brown, Governance, government, growth, high flyers, Hilary Clinton, Japan, job, London, Make Your Mark Challenge, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Prince Charles, recovery, talents, UK, Women's Enterprise Day
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