Entrepreneur’s legacy boosts jobs

AN inspirational Yorkshire entrepreneur’s legacy is boosting enterprise and jobs in east Leeds with a grant of £500,000.

Jimbo’s Enterprise Fund has been set up in the name of the late Jimi Heselden, the entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded Hesco Bastion.

The fund was launched with the money the Leeds businessman – who earned his fortune from wire mesh baskets that proved hugely successful in the defence sector – donated to Leeds Community Foundation. This is now making grants totalling £500,000 to support ten local enterprise projects to tackle the lack of job opportunities and skills in East Leeds, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the city.

So far more than 59 people from disadvantaged backgrounds are either in training or have gained jobs thanks to the fund, which is administered by Leeds Community Foundation in conjunction with Mr Heselden’s family.

His widow, Julie Heselden, said: “We were delighted to allocate £500,000 from the main Jimbo’s Fund to invest in projects that are about skilling up local people to enable them to move into education or get a job.

“The focus of Jimbo’s Fund is mainly on east Leeds where unemployment is a serious issue, particularly for young people. When Jimi set up the fund originally, it was to give people opportunities they might not otherwise have, so putting money into projects that help people get paid work seemed like a great idea to us.”

The ten projects were chosen by the Foundation and the Heselden family, in conjunction with community partners in east Leeds who consulted with local people about what measures are most needed. Results showed an overwhelming consensus for more job and skills training opportunities, hence the decision to support local enterprises.

Chief executive of Leeds Community Foundation, Sally-Anne Greenfield, said:  “The funding of these projects is a good example of how we help donors understand the needs of the local community and where they can make the most difference.

“On this occasion we worked closely with the Heselden family and the local community to determine how best to help make a difference before we embarked on the project.”

In the four years before his untimely death, Mr Heselden, who was named the winner of the Yorkshire Pride category in TheBusinessDesk.com’s Yorkshire Business Masters two years ago, donated around £30m to causes in his home city through the Leeds Community Foundation.

Local enterprises and projects being supported by the fund include Canopy Housing Project, StepUP, Seagulls, OIL, LS14 Hire, LATCH, GIPSIL, Paperworks, Learning Partnerships and YCo-Co.

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