No Limits wins Enterprising Britain regional final

NO Limits, a Local Enterprise Growth Initiative, has won the North West final of the Government’s Enterprising Britain competition for its business support work with people in Pennine Lancashire.

Enterprising Britain 2009 is a nationwide competition run by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, in partnership with the regional development agencies and devolved administrations.

Now in its fifth year, the competition recognises rewards organisations where enterprise has helped to transform the social and economic fortunes of their area.

No Limits is made up of four Pennine Lancashire councils – Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Hyndburn – and a variety of support organisations. It impressed the judges with its innovative approach to enterprise, using ways that would engage young people from Pennine Lancashire.

No Limits worked with a number of football clubs in the area to set up enterprise centres including Burnley’s Turf Moor Enterprise Haven and Blackburn Rovers Enterprise Centre.

The enterprise havens are part of a £30m programme to regenerate the Pennine Lancashire economy through supporting new and growing businesses, creating up to 13,000 jobs and 4,000 new businesses over the next decade.

Steve Hoyle, director of the Pennine Lancashire No Limits initiative, said: “Our starting point was that our area had low levels of business start-ups and a poor enterprise culture. 

“The No Limits programme is all about removing barriers, encouraging ambition and creating role models in some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. 

“Two years into the programme we now have 750 ambassadors for the No Limits message within our target communities. We are delighted to have been chosen to represent the England’s Northwest as part of the Enterprising Britain competition.”

No Limits will now go on to represent the North Wet in the national Enterprising Britain 2009 final this October.