Global Entrepreneurship Week - enterprise in rural areas is alive and kicking

Global Entrepreneurship Week - enterprise in rural areas is alive and kicking

What is the significance of Global Entrepreneurship Week to a small rural community in a frequently unheard of corner of Gloucestershire known as The Forest of Dean?

Squeezed between two rivers, The Severn and The Wye, The Forest of Dean enjoys the best of what rural life has to offer, whilst also having excellent links to commercial centres such as Cardiff, Bristol, Cheltenham and Birmingham.

And yet, along with many parts of the UK, the Forest has suffered at the hands of a wobbling economy, with increasing unemployment and small businesses failing. Not an affluent area, the Forest relies heavily on its small businesses for jobs with those seeking employment from the larger corporates having to commute to places like Gloucester and beyond. The daily commute isn’t possible for everyone, and as such, the Forest has always enjoyed a healthy business start-up rate for those wanting to go it alone. But failure rates have also been disproportionately high. 

With the backing of the RDPE-funded Forest Means Business project, the first ever Forest Business Enterprise Week is due to take place during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Designed to encourage entrepreneurship and give support to existing small businesses, the Forest Business Enterprise Week has free events from Monday to Friday (14-18 November) to help those thinking about starting or growing a business.

Support for the Enterprise Week has been encouraging, with local speakers stepping forward to run seminars and venues keen to provide hospitality for events. A local printer offered to print promotional flyers for free, and local organisations have offered to help promote the week’s events. It seems that The Forest has an inner determination to help itself and to do whatever it takes to turn the corner of the economic downturn we are all experiencing.

Bookings are already pouring in from those wanting to attend Monday 14^th November’s business start-up event. Interest in self-employment as a viable way of moving off benefits or into employment following redundancy is high and with the right support and advice, this could become a reality for many local people.

There are also seminars on exporting, becoming an employer and planning for growth. A series of marketing master classes exploring PR, marketing on a budget and social media follow the regular Grow Business Breakfast session on Friday 18^th November. The week also boasts a networking event for local business women, run in partnership with the Forest Business Women’s network and a leadership evening seminar with Rob Noble, CEO of The Leadership Trust.

So back to the question — what significance does Global Entrepreneurship Week have for the Forest of Dean? It has given the business community a chance to work collaboratively on an initiative that will provide free help, support and guidance. Minimal resources were available to fund the week of events, yet no fewer than 11 events will take place throughout the week, and thanks to the existing RDPE-funded Forest Means Business project, a continuing programme of support and advice will be available once the week is over.

It has often been said that entrepreneurs hold the key to the future success of the UK economy. For this to be the case there needs to be a proactive approach that involves and consults with the local business community. And that is exactly what Forest Business Enterprise Week is all about.

Miranda Jenkins is a business trainer and coach at Skills to Go. You can find out more about GEW events in the Forest of Dean at Forest Business Enterprise Week.

We’ve got lots more coverage of Global Entrepreneurship Week on the Donuts.

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