Antrim and Newtownabbey borough council have appointed Mallusk Enterprise park to manage an ambitious new business support programme to help small to medium sized businesses across the local district grow and prosper.
The Economic Development team at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council will be working closely with the team at Mallusk Enterprise Park to develop the new ‘Business Growth Programme’ which is aimed at bringing more prosperity to the Borough.
Mallusk Enterprise park will deliver the programme in partnership with local enterprise agencies: Antrim Enterprise and LEDCOM.
This new one-to-one business mentoring and support programme, which is due to commence in May 2021, aims to support 220 local businesses, create at least 155 jobs and sustain at least 50 jobs by 30 December 2023.
Chairman of Mallusk Enterprise Park Iain Patterson welcomed the economic development initiative saying:
“Speaking on behalf of the Board, we are delighted that following a competitive tender process, Mallusk Enterprise Park have once again been awarded the OPTIMAL Business Growth Programme. As a Social Enterprise ourselves we were particularly happy to discover that the new programme includes specific targeted mentoring support for our third sector economy in Antrim and Newtownabbey.”
Chief Executive of Mallusk Enterprise Park Emma Garrett added:
“Our Organisation aims to support individuals and organisations in the borough at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey. The OPTIMAL Programme completes our jigsaw with regards Mallusk Enterprise Park being a one stop shop for business support. I would like to give a special mention to my colleague Colleen McAreavey who very successfully managed the previous OPTIMAL Programme, supporting 270 businesses. We look forward to maximising the potential of even more SME’s in our Borough over the next two years.”
The programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Invest Northern Ireland and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Small and medium sized businesses and social enterprises with fewer than 50 full time employees will be able to take advantage of this support opportunity. The programme will offer support through bespoke mentoring, workshops and networking in a range of areas from digital to sales, export to social enterprise.
If you are a business in the Antrim and Newtownabbey borough council area and would like more information on the support available text BUSINESS to 80039, visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/business or E. business@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk