Recognition for rural enterprise support organisation at national awards
Perthshire-based enterprise support organisation GrowBiz received a Highly Commended award at the Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) Helping it Happen awards in Edinburgh last week.
Full press release below
Press Release
8 October 2019
Recognition for rural enterprise support organisation at national awards
Perthshire-based enterprise support organisation GrowBiz received a Highly Commended award at the Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) Helping it Happen awards in Edinburgh last week.
The SLE Helping it Happen awards recognise the role of estates, farms and rural businesses in enabling and supporting success in rural areas and helping rural Scotland thrive as part of the wider Helping it Happen campaign.
GrowBiz was recognised by the judges in the education category of the national awards for its work with hundreds of rural businesses and social enterprises in Perth and Kinross.
Since its inception in 2007, GrowBiz has developed a unique model of relational support for rural enterprise with a combination of one-to-one coaching and advice, peer learning, an award-winning mentoring programme and networking.
And this summer, GrowBiz launched its new Making Rural Business Digital project, which is supported by the Perth & Kinross LEADER programme and which aims to make Perth and Kinross the most entrepreneurial rural economy in Scotland.
Jackie Brierton, GrowBiz CEO, was at the awards ceremony. She said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this recognition for our work in rural communities in Perthshire.
“We work with hundreds of diverse and innovative rural businesses across the region and improved digital technology has encouraged many more enterprises to grow in rural areas, providing role models and opportunities for the younger generation.
“GrowBiz has a team of experienced enterprise facilitators, along with more than 60 trained volunteer mentors, providing support to anyone starting or growing a rural business. Our team has expertise in a range of digital skills and applications and has successfully piloted online learning and networking sessions using a video-conferencing platform that enables businesses to access sessions at their convenience.
“As the only business project in Scotland with accreditation for its mentoring programme, GrowBiz has also been cited as an exemplar of rural enterprise support by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and the European Network of Rural Development and this latest award is further testament to the success of our approach.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
GrowBiz is an independent, community-based organisation providing support to anyone starting or growing a business in rural Perthshire.
GrowBiz Scotland (known as GrowBiz) is a company limited by guarantee number SC341655, and a Scottish Charity number SC043278, with registered office at Bank of Scotland House, Union Street, Coupar Angus.
GrowBiz is funded by Perth and Kinross Council, Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government, and the Making Rural Business Digital project is supported by the Rural Perth and Kinross LEADER Programme 2014-2020: The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas. For more on LEADER go to www.pkleader.org.
Since October 2016, GrowBiz has supported more than 900 clients across all business sectors.
GrowBiz runs an award-winning business mentoring programme, which currently has over 70 participants and which is the first in Scotland to achieve the Scottish Mentoring Network Quality Standard.
GrowBiz offers one-to-one meetings with clients as well as peer support and peer learning sessions.
Follow GrowBiz on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter by searching for GrowBiz Perthshire.
